Cattleya Belly of the Whale Pinot Noir Carneros 2021 750 ML

I grew up in a country where vineyards are virtually non-existent. My exposure to wine was limited only to rare occasions at the dinner table. A few sips occasionally stolen from my father’s wine glass were enough to inspire an all-consuming dream—to become a winemaker. So I packed my bags and left for France. And in that moment I set the course of my life, a never-ending journey pursuing inspirational wines. During the summer of 2001, I immersed myself in all things wine, ultimately earning a BTS degree in Viticulture and Enology from Cognac followed by a degree in Enology from the University of Bordeaux, graduating with honors.\n\nDriven by the tenacity which first took me to France, I pruned vines during ice-cold winters, trimmed shoots in sweltering summers, and tended to the vines that cling to the sheer slopes of Cote-Rotie—first at Domaine Stephane Ogier, then at Domaine Clusel-Roch. At the famed estates of Chateau Haut-Brion & La Mission Haut-Brion, I completed research for my thesis. This hard work paid off – I had the privilege to work among other family-owned wine producers in Burgundy, Alsace, and Cognac. My passion for wine whisked me around the globe, sending me between California, South Africa, and France for several years before I decided to call California my home.