Brenae Royal, Vineyard Manager

 BRENAE ROYAL, VINEYARD MANAGER

Brenae Royal, our Vineyard Manager at Monte Rosso, grew up surrounded by agriculture in California’s Great Central Valley, an industry she would come to love and make her lifelong passion and career.

Her interest in farming dates back to some of her earliest memories of gardening with her grandmother, who encouraged her to get involved with FFA (Future Farmers of America). “I come from a family of teachers and doctors, so I have to admit they were a bit bewildered when I started to raise pigs,” Brenae says with a smile.

In college, Brenae studied horticulture science and during her senior year, after developing a palate for California red wine, she decided to pursue a career in viticulture. She landed an internship a week before graduation and was sent to Monte Rosso Vineyard on just her third day on the job. Brenae immediately knew she was at a special place. Within the year, Brenae was promoted to vineyard manager of the property, which she has held for over seven years.

The celebrated Monte Rosso Vineyard is one of the most acclaimed winegrowing sites in California. With its striking red volcanic soils and 1,300-foot elevation, Monte Rosso is unique not just for its 134-year history, but also because it requires everything is done by hand. Brenae sees it as a mix of art and science. “In every vintage you can taste the challenges we were up against. The opportunities we took and choices we made show up in every glass.”

Brenae knows that she’s not just breaking barriers in the wine industry as a female Millennial but also as a Black woman. She finds it motivating.

“As a Black woman working in a traditionally male role, I’m often the ‘only person in the room,’” says Brenae. “That means I have an opportunity that others don’t have. I am bringing attention just by being who I am, owning that position and using my voice. The way I think about it, being the ‘only one in the room’ is just giving me a unique position to raise awareness of the importance of diversity in the room. It’s my opportunity to offer my perspective and opinion to advance what I want to see.”

Every leader in the wine industry is eventually asked about their favorite wine. For Brenae, the answer comes quickly. “Zinfandel. I love it because it is the most affected by literally anything we do in the vineyard, be it pruning techniques, irrigation management, crop thinning or whatever is happening with the weather. The wine’s characteristics change as it ages, but I can still pinpoint exactly what was happening that vintage year.”

Her favorite Louis M. Martini wine is the 2017 Monte Rosso Vineyard Gnarly Vine Zinfandel. Her team’s hard work received 93 points from James Suckling. Explore the wine for yourself and taste the history of the legendary vines and the great care that Brenae’s team puts into the vineyard which manifests itself in every glass.

The 2017 Monte Rosso Vineyard Gnarly Wine may be purchased here.

FEATURED WINES

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2017 Monte Rosso Vineyard Cabernet Franc

This small-lot Cabernet Franc showcases the variety’s signature qualities through the lens of the Monte Rosso Vineyard, where just two blocks of Cabernet Franc are planted. The 2017 vintage features flourishes of ripe red cherry, cranberry and raspberry with tilled earth undertones and subtle hints of orange zest. The finely textured finish rings with acidity, making this wine a versatile food-pairing partner – complex and balanced. <br><br> Our Cabernet Franc was harvested by hand in the cool early morning hours. At the winery, the grapes were hand-sorted, destemmed and crushed in a gentle basket press. They were then gravity-fed to tank for a three-day cold soak to extract flavor and color. Fermentation occurred in small open-top vessels, which allow for highly precise handling of the grapes throughout the entire process. Total aging was 15 months in French oak barrels (52% new), adding touches of cedar and toast to a fresh, layered finish. <br><br> Monte Rosso’s Cabernet Franc vines are an average age of 25 years and sit above the fog line, receiving the ideal combination of sunlight and cool breezes to build layered, complex flavors. In 2017, ample winter rains fueled vine growth early in the season – a warm, steady summer and fall followed, leading to a slightly early harvest with intensely fruit-driven yields.

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2017 Monte Rosso Vineyard Mountain Red

Our Monte Rosso Mountain Red is an homage to the great wines of Southern France, with a California twist. This fragrant blend of Syrah, Petite Sirah, and Grenache wafts out of the glass with aromas of black raspberries and kirsch liqueur with subtle hints of Herbs de Provence and dark roast coffee. The zesty palate includes a medley of savory flavors of dark fruit notes complemented by Monte Rosso’s signature spices. It has the vineyard’s classic frame of balanced acidity and notes of iron. The wine’s depth, mouthwatering fruit and lush mouthfeel display the extraordinary complexity that can be produced from this world-class mountain vineyard.

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2016 Monte Rosso Vineyard Malbec

This small-lot Monte Rosso production is a truly distinct wine, crafted from a single block of Malbec planted on our historic vineyard in the Mayacamas Mountains. Our 2016 Monte Rosso Malbec offers enticing aromas of cedar, fresh plum and a hint of pepper. On the palate, lush notes of blackberry jam, dark roasted coffee and blackcurrant harmonize for a densely layered, full-bodied wine.

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