Ellsworth Wines

(Sierra Foothills, CA)

Technical Bio

Ellsworth Wines, founded and operated by Bryn and Jeffrey Sherwood, is a small-scale, natural winery in Penn Valley, California. Their technical approach is deeply rooted in organic farming and minimal intervention, with a focus on expressing the unique terroir of the Sierra Foothills' Gold Country.

Technical Philosophy and Practices:

  • Vineyard Management: The Sherwoods farm a 1.25-acre home vineyard and work with other landowners in Nevada County, California. They are committed to a no-till, dry-farming, and no-herbicide approach to promote biodiversity and soil health. They perform all vineyard work by hand, including pruning, canopy management, and harvesting.

  • Winemaking Protocols:

    • Native Yeast Fermentation: All wines are fermented with native yeasts, a central tenet of their natural winemaking philosophy. They do not use commercial yeast strains or any other additives.

    • Low Intervention: The Sherwoods guide the wine in making itself, with minimal to no additions. They use low doses of elemental sulfur in the vineyard and add SO2 only a month before bottling, if at all, to stabilize the wine.

    • Unfined and Unfiltered: Their wines are unfined and unfiltered, preserving their natural texture, flavor, and aromatic compounds.

    • Vessel Selection: Fermentation and aging are done in a combination of used French oak barrels and stainless steel. The use of neutral barrels ensures that the focus remains on the fruit and the vineyard character, not on wood flavors.

    • Whole Cluster and Extended Maceration: For their red wines, they often utilize 100% whole cluster fermentation. For their whites, they may use extended maceration on the skins before pressing. These techniques add complexity, texture, and a unique structural element to the finished wines.

  • Technical Achievements and Impact: The Sherwoods are a prime example of the new wave of small-production, natural winemakers who are making a significant impact by prioritizing transparency and sustainable farming. Their hands-on, deeply personal approach to both farming and winemaking results in distinctive, honest wines that reflect the rugged, high-elevation landscape of the Sierra Foothills.