The Fog Monster – Handcrafted Wine from Napa, California

Our Story

Fog Monster Wines was started by Andrea Mullineux and her husband Chris in 2012. Andrea grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and studied winemaking at UC Davis before working several vintages in Napa and then travelling to learn in wine regions abroad. On a stint in the South of France she met Chris, and they settled in South Africa where they started and run Mullineux & Leeu Family Wines.

Andrea and Chris spend time in California visiting family and friends, but are never far from vineyards and wine, and when a friend showed us an incredible old vineyard one day and suggested that we make wine in California as well, how could we say no!

The Name

The Fog Monster name was inspired by the strong and sometimes dominant influence the fog off the Pacific Ocean has on the terroir of Coastal Californian vineyards.

California is a warm place with abundant sunshine, but warm periods are moderated by the cooling fog, resulting in wines of refreshing intensity. This is what we aim to bottle.

Vineyards & Winemaking

We make site specific, single vineyard wines from parcels that excite and intrigue us - vineyards that are planted in great sites and farmed well. We work with a select group of growers who follow sustainable, reasoned farming practices.

Our winemaking is hands-off and aimed at expressing site through modern minimalist winemaking of these small parcels of wine. Apart from minimal amounts of sulphur, nothing else is added to or removed from our wines, and we aim to bottle complex, balanced and intense wines that are true to the special places they are grown in.

Appellation	Sonoma County
Vineyard	Bedrock Vineyard
Harvest Notes	Grapes were sourced from the heirlom field blend vineyard at Bedrock (planted in 1888), planted in deep sandy riverbed soils. We are always honoured to work with this truly special vineyard which is planted to 27 varieties - roughly 55% Zinfandel, 15% Carignan, 10% Mataro, and then everything else (Syrah, Alicante, Trousseau Noir, Mission, Tempranillo, Petite Sirah…).
Cellar Notes	Hand harvested fruit is transferred 50% whole cluster and 50% destemmed into T-Bins with a blanket of dry ice and given one pigeage per day. No additions are made other than a minimal dose of sulphur. After 3 weeks on the skins the must is pressed to neutral barrels to for 12 month maturation. In Spring the wines were racked once for clarification before bottling.
Tasting Notes	The wine has a nose of dark red fruit, cloves and spice. The palate is dense, but dry and tight, with a long fresh finish.
Aging & Drinking Suggestions	Serve at 14 to 16 degrees Celsius. Pair with lamb and venison. Best drinking through 2035.
Technical Notes	Soil: Deep Alluvial River Bed Soils Acidity: 5,1 g/l Residual Sugar: 1,3 g/l ABV: 14,0% Barrel Maturation: 12 months in 3rd fill 225 Liter barrels.

Appellation	El Dorado County
Vineyard	Ambrosia Vineyard
Vineyard Notes	Grapes were sourced from head trained vines at Ambrosia Vineyard, planted in yellow slate soils on midslopes of the El Dorado County in the Sierra Foothills.
Cellar Notes	Hand harvested fruit is transferred 50% whole cluster and 50% destemmed into T-Bins with a blanket of dry ice and given one pigeage per day. No additions are made other than a minimal dose of sulphur. After 3 weeks on the skins the must is pressed to neutral barrels to for 12 month maturation. In Spring the wines were racked once for clarification before bottling.
Tasting Notes	This wine has a dense youthful colour, typical of Petite Sirah, and a nose of dark fuit and spice. The palate has a serious presence - full, textured and grippy but with a vibrant, fresh and satisfyingly dry finish. Powerful but truly balanced!
Aging & Drinking Suggestions	Serve at 14 to 16 degrees Celsius. Pair with venison, burgers and great friends. Best drinking through 2030.
Technical Notes	Soil: Yellow Shale based Soils of the El Dorado Midslopes Acidity: 5,8 g/l Residual Sugar: 1,2 g/l ABV: 13,50% Barrel Maturation: 11 months in 5th fill 225 Liter barrels.

Our Story

The Name

Vineyards & Winemaking

Our Wines

Bedrock Red 2015

Petite Sirah 2015