California Wines & Wineries

LaRue Wines – A Determined Woman on a Mission

Posted on November 15, 2018 Updated on November 15, 2018

That may sound a bit too serious, but then again making award winning wines is also a serious business. Katy Wilson has set her sights high from the day she entered Cal Poly to make some great wines. She has done her journeyman’s tour from harvests in San Luis Obispo to Australia and New Zealand. She got her start at Testarossa Winery in the Bay Area and then worked hard at Flowers Vineyard & Winery as harvest enologist and made her way to assistant winemaker. This is where is fell in love with both Pinot Noir and the Sonoma soil. Since 2009, LaRue’s first harvest, she has striven to perfect her acclaimed Pinot Noir vintages. Then in 2014, she branched out into Chardonnay with an exquisite LaRue Charles Heintz Vineyard Chardonnay. Key to her success is the hands on detail from hauling grapes, constant punch downs, etc. She does it all to ensure her quality product.

While all that seems very serious, this picture of Katy Wilson in Emmaline Ann Vineyard shows her enjoyment and pride in making some truly remarkable wines. Her smile is as wide as the vineyard!! Here she is poised with her award winning 2014 LaRue Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir. One of the key contributing factors beyond her innate hard work ethic, is her ability to gain access to some of the best vineyards in the Sonoma Coast AVA. Most of her wines are single vineyard designated wines, like Heintz Vineyard, Thorn Ridge Vineyard, Rice-Spivak Vineyard and Emmaline Ann Vineyard. She does produce one non-single vineyard wine – LaRue Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir – a blend of the Rice-Spivak and Thorn Ridge Vineyards.

In this picture, is shown the 2014 LaRue Emmaline Ann Vineyard Pinot Noir. Here on this secluded hillside vineyard, Katy has produced some phenomenal award winning wines. International Wine Report reporting on the 2014 Pinot Noirs, described her wines as “possessing a soft and supple texture on the palate along with expressive fresh red fruits and lovely touch of acidity keeping this fresh and inviting through the finish”. Perhaps the best compliment of her award winning wine making was the compliment from Antonio Galloni on her 2013 Pinot Noir, “Katy Wilson’s 2013 Pinots are some of her best wines yet. Over the years, Wilson’s Pinots seem to have become more precise, nuanced and articulated, all qualities that come through loud and clear with these current releases. As always, Wilson’s light touch translates into wines of grace and restraint.” I personally noted the bright clarity and refined qualities of strawberry and cherry. Also, mentioned her Pinot Noirs were graceful and smooth like a solo ballerina performance from Kirov Ballet School.

LaRue’s total production is approximately 500 cases and she sells out each year. If you are desirous of these tasty single vineyard designated Pinot Noirs or Chardonnay, it is available only via the wine club. Beyond her own winery, Katy is the winemaker at Anaba Wines, Reeve Wines and Smith Story Wine Cellars.

So while not guaranteeing a smile as big as Katy’s, I can state your enjoyment will bring a smile to your face while sipping her serious wines!

Slainte,

https://californiawinesandwineries.com/
https://www.laruewines.com/