by Sarah Doyle in The Press Democrat
When Montse Reece first arrived in California in 1998, the wine industry struck her as “exciting and different,” two qualities she fears are fading.
Raised in Tarragona, on the doorstep of Spain’s famed Priorat wine region, Reece grew up surrounded by wineries with “strong personalities” that made each distinct. In Sonoma County, where she’d traveled to work harvests at Gloria Ferrer and later Ferrari-Carano Vineyards, she recognized a similar sensibility.
“Back then, everyone had their own point of view but loved sharing ideas and trying new things,” said Reece, founder of Montse Reece Wines in Healdsburg. “Now, everyone is copying each other and making the same wines with the same grapes. Wine has become boring. I want to offer something different.”
For nearly two decades, Reece has served as winemaker at the historic Pedroncelli Winery in Dry Creek Valley, overseeing production of its Mother Clone Zinfandel and other legacy bottlings.
In recent years, however, she has helped steer the winery toward lighter-style wines, including sparkling, an uncommonly bright Zinfandel rosé, Sauvignon Blanc and lower-alcohol Syrah.
“Pedroncelli is a kind of a contradiction — we produce many legacy wines while continuing to innovate,” Reece said. “Being a part of these two worlds gives me a very rich life. The key to reinventing yourself is never losing sight of who you are.”
For the love of Spain
For years, Reece dreamed of making her own Albariño and Tempranillo — two Spanish varieties she loves. But finding the right vineyards for the niche grapes proved more challenging than she imagined.
“American Tempranillo can be very high in alcohol, and I wanted to make the opposite,” she said. “In Spain, the wine is light like Pinot Noir and low in alcohol. To produce this style, I had to be very particular about the vineyards I sourced from.”
The answer finally arrived in 2022 at Luchsinger Vineyards in Lake County, where father-daughter team Bernie and Pilar Luchsinger grow varieties like Tempranillo, Touriga Nacional and Souzao.
“There are many things you can do in the vineyard to produce lower-alcohol wines, like limiting the grapes’ sun exposure so they produce less sugar,” Reece explained. “Luchsinger grows the vines in a way that gives you the flexibility to make lighter-style wines.”
For the inaugural vintage of Montse Reece Wines, she harvested the Tempranillo at a low 22.5 Brix (grape sugar). The resulting wine is fresh and bright, with notes of cherry, dried fig, cedar, cinnamon and just 13.2 % alcohol.
“Picking the grapes early offers you all the fruit flavors of the grape without it being overripe,” she said. “I don’t know anyone making Tempranillo this way.”
For her Albariño, Reece turned to Paradise Vineyards in the Petaluma Gap, where cool daytime temperatures and persistent coastal winds are optimal for preserving acidity. About six miles from the Pacific Ocean, the site reminds her of Spain’s Rías Baixas region in southwestern Galicia, renowned for its world-class Albariño.
“My Albariño ended up very textbook Rías Baixas,” Reece said. “I used stainless steel and fermented completely dry, so the wine is very zippy and refreshing, with just 12% alcohol. I’m very proud of how both my wines turned out.”
A piece of art
Soon after her inaugural release this winter, Reece learned of an opening in the cooperative tasting space at Bacchus Landing in Healdsburg.
Producing only 300 cases per year, she knew funding her own tasting room would be difficult, so she immediately embraced the opportunity.
“I’ve never been in sales, so talking to the people tasting my wines is a new experience,” she said. “But I absolutely love it. I can explain why my wines are different and hear their opinions. These conversations are so rich and interesting.”
The less common varietals have proven a draw among consumers who are also attracted to the wine’s distinct labels, which were designed in her hometown of Tarragona.
“I wanted the labels to be as unique as my wines, and each one is a piece of art,” Reece said. “They help me tell my story and show I’m trying to offer something different.”
Something different
When she is not making wine full-time at Pedroncelli Winery, Reece can be found pouring her own wines at Bacchus Landing from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fridays through Sundays.
At a time when the wine industry is struggling to attract consumers, she hopes the lesser-known varietals of her home country draw people in.
“These wines represent my heritage and are an extension of myself,” she said. “I would love to see more winemakers try new, exciting things. Wine is really about discovery.”
Montse Reece Wines is open 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Friday – Sunday. 14210 Bacchus Landing Way, Healdsburg; 707-205-5858; montsereecewines.com.
Sarah Doyle is the wine and beverage reporter at The Press Democrat. She can be reached at sarah.doyle@pressdemocrat.com