Intérieur
by Molly Felts
Intérieur is a light bodied, fruit forward zinfandel from a single vineyard in the Dry Creek Valley in Sonoma County. It has notes of black pepper and bright raspberry jam with a fresh finish.
Specs
Varieties: Zinfandel (98%), Muscat (2%)
Source: Mazzera Vineyard, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma
ABV: 13.4%
Acidity: 6.5 g/L TA
Bottles Produced: 3,000
Winemaking: 100% hand-picked fruit underwent carbonic maceration, meaning that fermentation was performed under natural CO2 pressure. This allowed the fermentation to occur intracellularly, or from the inside out, rather than just in the juice around it. The carbonic fermentation lasted one week before draining and pressing the wine. This led to the development of unique fruit characteristics which were further highlighted by the addition of a small amount of Muscat, co-fermented with the wine after draining and pressing it.
Molly Felts
In Molly's words
“I am originally from Northeastern Oklahoma in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains. Wine was not something that I grew up around, and it really wasn’t a career path I knew existed until college. However, I have had truly remarkable teachers throughout my educational career that provided pivotal inspiration propelling me to the world of wine."
"A high school chemistry teacher that sparked a passion in understanding how things
come together on a molecular level, a professor in college who opened my eyes to how science and art can create a magnificent bottle of wine, and a graduate advisor who opened her door and allowed me to work with grapes and wine leading me to Gallo eventually. It was their inspiration that led me to where I am today.
During my time at the University of Oklahoma I had the incredible opportunity to participate in a study abroad program that focused specifically on organic chemistry and the chemistry and culture of wine in Arezzo, Italy. That experience opened my eyes to the incredible world of wine where art and science merged to develop a product that could create community. The idea of creating something tangible to share with family and friends was my driving force to pursue winemaking as my career.”
Rose Jaffe on Molly Felts
“My work generally centers on connection - with others, with ourselves, and with the natural world. I appreciated Molly’s love of nature and wanted to highlight the green rows of the vineyard and grapes themselves in the piece. She spoke about the joy of sharing wine with friends and family, and I wanted these figures to evoke that celebratory experience. The hand over heart is, to me, a "I see you, I feel you" gesture - and to me this highlights the passion the winemaker has for her work (the wine!). The circle motif is replicated in the grapes, the sun, and the shape of the two figures' hands. This helps create a stronger composition, and completes the feeling of wholeness, completeness and the feeling of being centered and grounded. Overall, I wanted a feeling of light, joy, and connection to the earth and to each other to come through in this piece. It was wonderful to work on!”
Label Art
Rose Jaffe on Molly Felts
“My work generally centers on connection - with others, with ourselves, and with the natural world. I appreciated Molly’s love of nature and wanted to highlight the green rows of the vineyard and grapes themselves in the piece. She spoke about the joy of sharing wine with friends and family, and I wanted these figures to evoke that celebratory experience. The hand over heart is, to me, a "I see you, I feel you" gesture - and to me this highlights the passion the winemaker has for her work (the wine!). The circle motif is replicated in the grapes, the sun, and the shape of the two figures' hands. This helps create a stronger composition, and completes the feeling of wholeness, completeness and the feeling of being centered and grounded. Overall, I wanted a feeling of light, joy, and connection to the earth and to each other to come through in this piece. It was wonderful to work on!”