There’s an app for just about everything — and then there’s Vinissential: Green Valley, a unique new app that offers a beautiful insiders tour of the Green Valley appellation in Sonoma’s Russian River Valley.
Shot by a pair of BBC documentary filmmakers, Vinissential captures the lush beauty of the Green Valley wine-growing region in footage that feels immersive, even though you’re watching on your phone or tablet. The duo created 45 short films that capture a year in the life of a vineyard and Sonoma wine country, allowing you to learn about the area’s unique climate and the overall winemaking process.
The app stars winery owner Marimar Torres of Marimar Estate Vineyards & Winery, which specializes in albariño, chardonnay and pinot noir from organically grown grapes; DeLoach Vineyards owner Jean-Charles Boisset, a native of Burgundy, France who’s been seduced by the Green Valley terroir; pioneering sparkling wine producer Iron Horse Vineyards; and the understated Dutton-Goldfield Winery, which specializes in small lots of pinot noir.
Ever wonder how they graft grapevines onto old rootstock or what tiny new grapes look like or when the vineyard manager knows it’s time to harvest? All these little mysteries are revealed by some of the Green Valley’s leading wineries.
And if you’re more interested in what to eat with pinot than how it’s made, then let chef Charlie Palmer of Dry Creek Kitchen in Healdsburg and Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star Aureole Las Vegas tempt you with his prosciutto-wrapped pork loin.
“This app is a gorgeous, quick and inexpensive escape to the vineyards,” says Joy Sterling, CEO of Iron Horse Vineyards. “It would be especially fun to navigate while sipping a glass of pinot noir.”
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