Idlewild Mendocino The Flower Rose

Idlewild is the creation of Sam Bilbro. Sam comes from a long family tradition of wine. His father Chris Bilbro founded Marietta Cellars.

Idlewild is about what moves Sam. Wines that are rooted in tradition but which also endeavor to create a new paradigm. His wines possess vibrant fruit character but often have savory elements and the requisite structure and acid to make them well to pair with food. They are wines of beauty and balance.

Aromatically, there is a lot of quiet grace in this wine. That isn’t to say it isn’t full of complexity; rather, there is just a subtlety to the grapefruit pith, tarragon, pomelo, chervil, minerality, alpine wildflowers, salty ocean air, and slight notes of fresh pine needles. The three varieties can all be seen in the structure: Nebbiolo lends the crunchy mineral structure, Dolcetto lends a delicate softness, and Barbera lends screeching acidity.