Trombetta Family Wines’ winemaker Erica Stancliff crafts an impressive portfolio of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from the Petaluma Gap and Russian River Valley. The winery sources grapes from some of Sonoma County’s most highly acclaimed vineyards, including Indindoli Vineyard in the Vine Hill section of the Russian River Valley and Gap’s Crown Vineyard in the Petaluma Gap. Erica’s training at Fresno State and work experience at Viña Cobos in Argentina and Rudd Estate in the Napa Valley have all contributed to her winemaking skills, but her family has also played an important role, and Paul Hobbs, too.
Mother and Daughter
Erica’s mother, Rickey Trombetta, was a home winemaker until she met Paul Hobbs in 1998 and began working with him, first with event planning, then harvests, and gradually she assumed increasingly responsible roles in the winery. Paul encouraged Rickey and her husband Roger to start their own winery, which they did in 2010. Their first release was the Gap’s Crown Pinot Noir, a wine they have made ever since. In 2014 daughter Erica became winemaker.
The Wines
Trombetta 2021 Chardonnay Gap’s Crown Vineyard Petaluma Gap ($70) 93 This is a very well-made Chardonnay sourced from one of California’s top vineyards. The 138-acre Gap’s Crown vineyard was planted in the early 2000s by CalPERS and later purchased by Bill Price. It includes 32 acres of low-yielding Chardonnay vines on clay loam/volcanic rock soils. The Trombetta Chardonnay reflects the Gap’s Crown terroir with high natural acidity and mineral-accented orchard/stone fruit. It shows stunning purity and a refined mouth feel.
Trombetta 2019 Chardonnay Gap’s Crown Vineyard Petaluma Gap ($65) 94 Yellow gold color. Rich, ripe aromas of hazelnut, brioche, and tropical fruit. Creamy texture with good focus and real depth of flavor. Finishes with lingering rich flavors of mango, peach, butterscotch and toasted almond. This is a special wine that needs to be paired with the right food–aged cheeses or spicy dishes with a hint of sweetness. Made with Clone 96 hand harvested at night and fermented with ambient yeast; aged 16 months sur lie in 30% new French oak with native malo. 14.1% alc.
Trombetta 2021 Chardonnay Indindoli Vineyard Russian River Valley ($60) 93 Medium yellow straw. As with the Gap’s Crown, the 2021 vintage of the Indindoli Chardonnay is less extroverted aromatically than the 2019 vintage. It reveals stone and orchard fruit on a firm palate with good acidity, fullness and good flavor depth in the mouth and a long rich finish. Robert Young and Wente clones planted 1975-1980 in the Indindoli Vineyard, pressed whole cluster, fermented with ambient yeast, and aged 14 months in 30% new French oak with full malo. 14.2% alc.
Trombetta 2019 Chardonnay Indindoli Vineyard Russian River Valley ($50) 92 Medium yellow gold. Opens with ripe aromas of mango, pineapple, with a caramel note. In the mouth, it’s creamy and lush and packed with ripe tropical fruit flavors with a dulce de leche accent. The impressive finish is long and ripe with a light hazelnut accent. This wine can stand up to a variety of spicy dishes. Night harvested from Robert Young and Wente clones of Indindoli Vineyard with a northwest exposure, pressed whole cluster and barrel fermented with ambient yeast and aged 8 months on the lees in 30% new French oak with battonage and full malo; unfined and unfiltered. 14.5% alc.
Trombetta 2022 Rosé of Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast ($29) 91 Medium copper salmon color. Showing a nose of ripe red berries accented by orange zest and peach skin. Full and broad on the palate, quite creamy in texture and richly flavored. A rosé meant for pairing with substantial dishes–salmon, chicken, even spicy Asian. Sourced from Sonoma vineyards with several clones; a mix of 70% saignée and 30% direct press and fermented in stainless steel and neutral French oak. 14.2% alc.
Trombetta 2019 Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast ($50) 92 Medium light ruby. Herbal accented wild cherry nose. Lovely silky attack with a softly textured, nicely concentrated, mouthfilling palate of darker cherry. Finishes long with rich extract. 14.5% alc.
Trombetta 2021 Pinot Noir Russian River Valley ($50) 92 Medium ruby. Spicy dark red fruited nose with cherry, plum and herbal scents. Broad and silky on the palate with soft, round tannins and good acidity. Medium long finish. Night harvested by hand, pressed whole cluster and fermented with ambient yeast and aged 9 months in 40% new French oak with native malo. 14.5% alc.
Trombetta 2018 Pinot Noir Gap’s Crown Vineyard Petaluma Gap ($70) 94 Medium ruby. Multifaceted savory, dark red fruited nose. A superbly balanced palate with a firm backbone. Good grip and richness on a lingering finish. Sourced from hand harvested clones 115 and 667 planted 2002-2005 in cobbly loam soil; fermented with ambient yeast and aged 9 months in 40% new French oak with native malo. 14.2% alc.
Trombetta 2021 Pinot Noir Indindoli Vineyard Sonoma Coast ($58) 93 Medium dark ruby red. Tantalizing, fresh nose of red and dark red cherry with a hint of savory notes. Pretty and refined on the palate with a firm backbone and notable purity, beautiful balancing acidity, and succulent ripe fruit. Good extract shows on a long finish. Integrated oak revealed in the silky texture. Sourced from renowned viticulturist Carmine Indindoli’s vineyard in the Vine Hill part of Russian River Valley. Hand harvested at night: Martini, 115 and 667 clones from the Indindoli Vineyard planted 1975-1990, pressed whole cluster and fermented with ambient yeast. Matured 10 months in 45% new French oak. 14.2% alc.
