Uncommon Italian grape varieties are trending in Northern California, with wineries offering everything from Fiano to Biancolella to Schioppettino. While some vintners are just now getting the memo, Centennial Mountain was ahead of the curve. The winery planted its remote Sonoma County vineyard to Sicilian and Piemontese varieties more than a dozen years ago.
The story
Kevin Harvey founded a successful venture capital firm in Silicon Valley before veering off into the wine world. The Houston native first dipped his toe into winemaking in 1995, when he persuaded his wife, Catherine, to let him plant grapevines in their Woodside yard. Less than a decade later, Harvey launched Rhys Vineyards in the Santa Cruz Mountains, known today for its graceful Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines.
Along the way, Harvey also developed a fascination with Italian varieties and began traveling to Piemonte and Sicily with Rhys viticulturist Javier Tapia and winemakers Jeff Brinkman and Eric Prahl to study the regions’ grapes and growing conditions.
After years of research, including establishing two vineyards on Mount Etna in Sicily and working alongside local viticulturists and winemakers, the team became convinced that Piemonte’s Nebbiolo and Sicily’s Carricante had the potential for greatness in California. They initially tested the varieties in the Santa Cruz Mountains before determining that the grapes would fare better elsewhere.
Harvey and his team planted the Centennial Mountain vineyard in 2013 on a remote site in northern Sonoma County, 15 miles from the Pacific Ocean. The 26-acre mountain vineyard includes dozens of small blocks planted to Nebbiolo, Carricante and Nerello Mascalese, plus smaller amounts of Zinfandel, Carignan, Primitivo and Barbera.
Originally called Aeris (“air” in Latin), the Italian-focused label launched in 2017 and was later renamed Centennial Mountain. Annual production is about 2,000 cases.
The vibe
The winery opened its downtown Healdsburg tasting room in 2022. The decor combines contemporary and industrial design, sporting metal beams, a wooden bar and clubby Cognac-hued leather seating. A couple of large television screens show dramatic aerial images of the Centennial Mountain vineyard (or, on big game days, the World Cup). The vibe is relaxed and casual.
On the palate
Centennial Mountain wines are mineral-driven, with savory character and solid structure. The winery’s Carricante is said to be California’s first (and perhaps only) planting of the Sicilian white grape, and the wine is a must-try.
The 2022 Sonoma County Carricante ($49) is an energetic and intense wine with a lightly floral aroma and flavors of citrus and fresh herbs. Similar to Pinot Noir, the 2021 Nerello Mascalese ($59) has a spicy aroma, along with a silky texture, moderate tannins and red-berry flavors. Especially impressive is the 2022 Sonoma County Nebbiolo ($79), a juicy and delicious rendition that draws you in with floral and berry notes, and displays expert balance between tannic structure and acidity.
The winery offers multiple tasting options, including a Summer Whites sampling ($30) and a flight that combines Centennial Mountain and Rhys wines ($45). I opted for the Wine & Sushi Pairing ($65), which matches Centennial Mountain and Rhys wines with savory bites like spicy tuna tartare and seafood sunomono salad from Asahi Sushi & Kitchen next door. Tasting add-ons include an artisan salumi board from Journeyman Meat Company ($40) and honey from the Rhys estate with baguette slices ($5).
Beyond the bottle
Healdsburg’s Front Porch Farm, a staple at local farmers markets for fresh-cut flowers and organic produce, is also home to Flower Porch. Set on the organic farm, the design studio regularly offers workshops on floral arranging, watercolor painting, fabric printing and more. See Front Porch Farm’s calendar for U-pick days and harvest your own bounty of flowers, veggies and fruits.
Centennial Mountain is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. 337 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg, cmvineyard.com
Tina Caputo is a wine, food, and travel writer whose work has appeared in numerous publications, including SevenFifty Daily, Visit California, HuffPost, and Sonoma magazine. Follow Tina on Bluesky @winebroad and view her website at tinacaputo.com.