The Forlorn Hope wines showcase California's diverse viticultural potential while championing lesser-known grape varieties. Winemaker Matthew Rorick oversees each fermentation and guides the wine's cellaring through to bottling at his estate vineyard in Calaveras County. The vineyard, situated at 2000 feet elevation, features soils composed of a layer of schist over dolomite-rich limestone.
The name 'Dragone Ramato' reflects both the wine's style and pays homage to one of the families that lived on the estate in the early 1900s. 'Ramato', Italian for 'copper', refers to a traditional Venetian winemaking technique where Pinot Grigio is fermented on the skins like a red wine. This process results in a lightly colored wine that develops a more pronounced copper hue as it ages.
