DOMAINE DE LA TERRE ROUGE
SIERRA NEVADA FOOTHILLS, CA
Bill Easton is a legend in California wine production. As a member of the Rhône Ranger generation, his work under the Domaine de la Terre Rouge focuses on the expressive grapes of France’s Rhone Valley. He is a master at teasing out the savory spirit, herbal lift, and the tender fruit that grapes like Syrah and Grenache display in the right hands. We were lucky enough to meet Bill on his recent trip to New York. We tasted through a handful of his wines and found two of our favorite bottles of the year.
Domaine de la Terre Rouge was founded in the mid-1980s by Easton and Jane O'Riordan, born from Easton’s deep passion for Northern Rhône varietals discovered while running his Berkeley wine shop, Solano Cellars. They sought out the rugged terrain of the Sierra Foothills in Amador County, where the high-elevation granitic and volcanic soils mirrored the growing conditions of southeastern France. He produced his first serious Rhône-style reds in 1986, eventually naming the winery "Terre Rouge" after the region's distinctive vermillion-colored earth. By 1994, the project had grown enough for Easton to sell his retail business and establish a dedicated winery facility
The two bottles below are a beautiful snapshot of California Rhône at it's purest. History and passion, great farming and winemaking.
Terre Rouge 'Tete a Tete" 2016
Located in the Sierra Foothills, Terre Rouge is an artisan winery founded by Bill Easton that specializes in sustainably farmed, Rhône-style blends grown in high-elevation volcanic soils.
Their Tête-à-Tête (a Syrah, Grenache, and Mourvèdre blend) offers a deep texture with vibrant notes of plum, smoke, and wild berries. It is a balanced, hearty style red with snappy acidity and a savory, spiced finish.
Terre Rouge 'Sentinel Oak Vineyard' Syrah 2011
Winemaker Bill Easton, an early pioneer of Rhône varietals in California’s Sierra Foothills, crafts this Syrah from both low and high elevation vineyards on the region’s western slopes.
The result is a mature, savory, full-bodied Rhône-style red with layered notes of black fruit, plum, smoked meat, and pepper. It offers strong structure, refined tannins, and a deeply spiced character from one of the state’s oldest Syrah sites.
