Fulcrum Wines
"A fulcrum is the point on which an object balances" Fulcrum is a winemaker’s winery, where no corners are ever cut. It is guided solely by winemaker David Rossi's palate and vision that has been developed over more than 20 years. From this vision, David produces a small portfolio of vineyard- and appellation-designated wines using grapes from acclaimed sites in the Anderson Valley, Russian River Valley, Sonoma Coast, Carneros and Chalone appellations.
In 2005 when David established Fulcrum, there was little talk of harvesting earlier, lower alcohols, or a more judicious use of new oak—things that have become key elements in the evolving discussion about a more balanced style of Pinot Noir. This said, for David, making balanced Pinot Noirs wasn’t something that could be boiled down to Brix levels, or alcohol and new oak percentages; it required a more holistic view of viticulture and winemaking. At the heart of David’s vision for Fulcrum was the idea that more is not always better, and that a wine should offer a seamless combination of fruit expression, acid, tannin, alcohol, oak influence and age-worthiness.
To make wines that achieve this ideal, David’s approach is intimate and exacting. It begins by selecting renowned Pinot Noir vineyards that David is inspired to work—sites that he selects for their quality, without limiting himself to specific regions or boundaries. David is in the vineyards regularly throughout the year, and when necessary, even takes a hands-on approach to pruning. In the winery, every one of approximately fifty barrels of wine aged in each vintage is unique, offering a different combination of vineyard, clone, yeast, oak, toast level, free run or press wine. While David’s approach to coaxing the vineyard character from each wine is gentle and thoughtful, it is not hands-off. From harvest decisions to fermentation techniques and oak influence, David is responsible for every one of the countless actions that ultimately shape his wines. During harvest, David rigorously sorts the fruit to eliminate any green berries or unripe clusters. This ensures that the final wine reflects the best the grapes can offer.
The themes of balance, complexity and age ability are at the forefront of how David approaches winemaking at Fulcrum. To achieve his elegant style, David combines time-tested Old-World techniques with modern enology, tailoring his methods for each vineyard, clone, and ultimately, every barrel of wine. While his overall approach emphasizes gentle handling of the fruit and wines at every stage of development, it is not a completely hands-off style. To leverage the strengths of each individual clone or lot, David applies a range of methods. Whether it’s cold soaking, fermentation temperatures, punch-down timing and frequency, or yeast selection, each decision is made to accentuate the strengths of the fruit. This intimate, non-standardized approach yields distinctive wines that capture the essence of the exceptional vineyards they come from.
