Âmevive - A Fresh Take on California Rhône
12/30/2024
The modern landscape of winemaking in Santa Ynez Valley owes a lot to pioneers like Bob Lindquist (Qupe), Steve Edmunds (Edmunds St. John) and Randall Grahm (Bonny Doon), affectionately known as the Rhône Rangers for their championing of Syrah and other Rhône varietals dating back to the early 80s. That spirit of crafting old-world style wines from Rhône grapes in central California lives on with Âmevive, the project of winemaker Alice Anderson and her partner Topher de Felice, who have taken over the helm at the historic Ibarra-Young Vineyard and continue a tradition of making soulful wines with a west coast flair channeling a strong Northern Rhône influence. Alice's love of Northern Rhône varietals grew during her time in France working with Pierre Gaillard, where she spent two years honing her craft before returning to California to work alongside Justin Willett at Tyler Winery and then Angela Osborne at A Tribute to Grace. She also spent time as assistant winemaker at Tatomer before shifting her focus toward making her own wines at Âmevive, beginning with their first vintage in 2019.
Using a combination of Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre, Roussanne, Marsanne, Viognier, Grenache Blanc and some Gamay in addition to several Spanish varietals, Âmevive make delicate and precise wines, harnessing the energy of these often powerful grapes to craft elegant wines with personality and focus. There's a clear throughpoint to the wines, which all show lift and freshness not always found in the varietals or the region. The Grenache Blanc is particularly stunning, merging a perfect balance of texture and acidity, while the Grenache is reminiscent of some of our favorites from Sierra de Gredos - powerful and structured but with tension and grace. The Cariño, a blend of Tempranillo and Graciano from Ibarra-Young's own-rooted plantings from the early 90s, is another perfectly balanced wine with a complex array of spices and red fruits that seem to dance weightlessly across the palate. Alice and Topher continue to devote themselves to farming beyond organically, enlisting the help of sheep and other animals in the vineyards to create biodiversity and aid in natural fertilization and pest control. The vineyards they work with nearby all share this same ethos, translating to wines of great purity which are full of life. We hope you enjoy these beautiful wines as much as we have and I already can't wait to taste more in the future!
-Jeff DiLorenzo
