KONVERTERRA
Konverterra combines the Swedish word for "to convert" with the latin word for "earth". It is the proud product of our goal to create a wine that celebrates and reflects the uniqueness of the Santa Ynez Valley. Unifying meticulously farmed grapes with the finest winemaking components and techniques, Andrew Murray has succeeded in reaching this goal through an artistic conversion of earth to wine.
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Pictured on our label is work from the prominent Santa Ynez Valley Artist, Channing Peake. Channing spent many years at his ranch, part of which now comprises the rio vista Vineyard. Like Andrew, he transformed elements of Sta. Rita Hills into a higher form.
KONVERTERRA 2015 scores
a 93 from Robert Parker!
"Pale to medium ruby-purple colored, the 2015 Pinot Noir has a very pretty nose of ripe red cherries and raspberries over nuances of roses, underbrush, cinnamon and lavender. Medium-bodied, with a great core of expressive red berries and spices, it has lovely fine-grained tannins and plenty of freshness, finishing long and perfumed."
Our Winemaker
Andrew Murray fell in love with wine, in the late 1980's while traveling through France. Leaving his UC Berkeley paleontology and English literature studies behind, he pursued his new mistress, wine making, with internships in both Australia and France. Andrew earned a bachelor's degree in viticulture and enology from UC Davis' renowned wine program, and concurrently founded his eponymous Santa Ynez Valley winery and vineyard.
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Andrew's focus and dedication to his craft have culminated in what Robert Parker Jr., calls "...one of the shining stars in the Santa Barbara firmament." He is eternally committed to vinicultural 'Kaizen' - the unrelenting pursuit of continuous improvement.
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Our Wine
From the beginning, we chose the non-interventionalist path of winemaking, seeking a wine that could literally shout from the glass about its origins.
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At first, the wine seems a bit reticent, with tart cherry and spicy vanilla notes emerging. With a bit of time and aeration, we can coax the next tranche of aromas from the glass...forest floor, rhubarb, blood orange, rose petals, and toasty oak from the use of the highest quality French Oak barrels. The wine begins to share with you that it is nuanced, rather than heavy handed. There is deep complexity in this wine that will continue to evolve over more time...minutes in the glass, hours after opening, and even years in the bottle....
Our 2014
