Sarah and Chris Pittenger married in 2008 and shortly thereafter launched Gros Ventre - named after the Gros Ventre River in Jackson Hole, where they met and courted, as well as after Sarah’s “Big Belly” while she was pregnant with their son. Chris’s day job is as the winemaker at Limerick Lane. High Country White is a blend of fiano, arneis, chenin blanc, vermentino, and other white grapes grown in high-altitude vineyards in El Dorado County (above Placerville in the Sierra Foothills, where Sarah and Chris live). 12.9% alcohol. It’s pale as mountain stream water in the glass. Orchard fruits, understated spice, and complexity from the judicious use of barrels. This is one of those wines that can unite chardonnay lovers and haters - there’s texture and vibrant acidity; flavors both familiar and unusual. Although you could drink this as an aperitif, it’s really a gastronomic wine. Herb-crusted fish, mushroom bisque, and boudin blanc are among many good ideas.
