FRES.CO’s goal is to highlight the bounty of Sonoma Valley’s rich winegrowing tradition while encouraging and supporting truly sustainable practices. We source exclusively from organically and regeneratively farmed vineyards that employ ecologically friendly methods like dry farming, no-till, and no spray viticulture. Some vineyards employ rotational grazing with sheep to boost soil health, while others lease conventional (chemically farmed) vineyards and convert them to an organic system. Each site is unique and requires a singular approach, as there is no silver bullet for regenerative farming. All the vineyards we source from are farmed with the mindset that healthy soil produces stronger vines, more robust grapes, and better wines.
Our expertise really comes into play once these grapes are harvested and brought to the winery. We believe that wines taste better when they are fermented naturally, without excessive manipulation. To us, that means the fermentations are carried out by native/ambient yeast and bacteria, without fermentation aids. The finished wines are bottled as living wine, produced without fining agents, filtration or cold stabilization. Often a touch of sulfur is added, usually at bottling, to preserve the wine’s aromas and ensure it ages in peace until it arrives in your hands.
We take winemaking inspiration from old California, striving for restrained wines that taste great now and with a few years of age (feel free to hold onto that rosé for 2-4 years—seriously, it gets better!). We’re inspired by the ‘OGs’ of Sonoma Valley’s wine industry, from the pioneer grape planters in the 1800s, to the old-vine revivalists, to the natural wine curmudgeons. Some of them are still around and imparting knowledge to help us troubleshoot our winemaking woes.
FRESCO is guided by that old truism: wine is made in the vineyards. We select sites and growers that work with the natural paradigm to showcase site and varietal. All of FRESCO’s wines are aged in neutral French oak, which elevate and soften a wine as it ages. Our wines are all fermented dry (meaning no residual sugar), and complete malolactic fermentation, which yield smoother, more textural wines. FRESCO emphasizes fresh fruit flavors in whites, rosés, and orange wines and strives for full-bodied, structured reds. We think our wine is for everyone: wine novices, traditional wine consumers, and more adventurous natural wine aficionados alike. We hope you enjoy what we make!
