The Wine Guy - Greg Walter

You know it’s going to be a good day when you get an email that begins, “we have not met, but I read your columns.” Wow, I thought, someone other than my Mom is reading my stuff! The email went on to tell me about his wife’s new wine venture and the tasting room they are opening on the Plaza and would I like to meet somewhere in town “for lunch or a drink and talk more about Sonoma and wine.” The email was signed “Proud Sonoma Husband.”

C’mon, even a grizzled veteran writer like me can’t resist that!

So, I sat down with Bryan and Terin Ignozzi this past weekend at Enoteca Della Santina ostensibly to learn something about the two of them and their wine venture Bryter Estates. (For those of you lagging behind a bit, the name “Bryter” is pronounced “brighter” and is a combination of their two first names.) I ended up spending hours with them.

One of the greatest things about doing what I do is that I get to meet some of the most interesting, passionate and genuinely nice people in the world. Bryan and Terin definitely fall in that category.

Both are originally from Chicago – young professionals who build successful careers before moving west. Bryan is a business and banking consultant for Price Waterhouse Coopers; and Terin was a marketing executive for a national firm with large wine and beer firms as clients. They developed their passion for wine over the years and even took wine certification courses. For Terin, her love of wine was always based in a quest to eventually make her own.

Terin grew up in an Italian family in Chicago – a family that had been winemakers in the Old Country and home winemakers during her childhood. As she grew up, learning more and more from her father and grandfather and through her own studies, she became known as the family’s “head winemaker.” Clearly she had a knack.

She and Bryan decided to make their move west in 2008, settling first in the East Bay, but they dreamed of living in Sonoma and building their wine brand there. The first vintage for Bryter Estates was 2009 and work is just finishing up on their new tasting room in the Sonoma Court Shops on the south side of the Plaza. They anticipate opening their doors just before Valentine’s Day.
So, what about Terin and Bryan’s wines? I tasted their 2010 “Affiné” Sonoma Coast Chardonnay ($29, a Double Gold Medal winner at the SF Chronicle Wine Competition) and the 2009 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir ($36). The Chardonnay is lush, with beautiful apple and pear flavors and just a little toasty oak. The Pinot Noir is spicy with forward cherry fruit and terrific structure and balance.
Other wines produced include 2011 “Viaggio” Russian River Valley Marsanne ($28), 2010 “L’Estate” Sauvignon Blanc (currently sold out), 2010 “LUX” Sonoma Coast Chardonnay ($34), a Cabernet Rose, 2010 “Amoroso” Santa Barbara Sangiovese ($32), 2009 “Maritus” Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($55) and 2009 “Inspired” Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($75).

Go and meet these two cool people and welcome them to the Island!

The new Bryter Estates tasting room will be located in the Sonoma Court Shops, 25 East Napa Street, Suite E. For information, visit bryter.com or call 501.8272.

As always, you can email me with questions at gswalter@pinotreport.com.

Greg Walter has been a Sonoma resident for more than 20 years. Greg has been in wine and food publishing for more than 30 years, 15 of which were spent as a senior editor and later president of Wine Spectator magazine. Today he writes the PinotReport newsletter (www.pinotreport.com) and publishes books through his Carneros Press imprint (www.carnerospress.com).