Poco a poco means little by little in Spanish, and that patient, incremental philosophy runs through every aspect of how Luke Bass farms grapes and makes wine in California's North Coast.
Backstory
Luke Bass studied economics at UC Santa Cruz before a winemaking internship at Flowers Winery that stretched into a two-and-a-half-year stint as cellar master under Greg LaFollette. He went on to work in South Africa, Chile, and at Tandem and Hirsch wineries in Sonoma County before establishing Porter-Bass Winery in Guerneville in 2001. The Poco a Poco label was created to bring the same values -- organic grapes, natural winemaking, honest pricing -- to a wider range while the Porter-Bass Estate Winery maintained its small-lot, estate-focused production. Porter-Bass has farmed biodynamically since 1999.
The Region
The Porter-Bass estate sits in the Russian River Valley, nine miles from the Pacific Ocean and just below the fog line in the hills above Guerneville. Most Poco a Poco grapes come from Mendocino County, a region Luke selected for its concentration of organically farmed vineyards, down-to-earth grower culture, and altitude-driven freshness. Both areas share a cool maritime influence that preserves acidity and aromatic complexity.
Vineyards & Farming
All Poco a Poco wines are made from organically farmed grapes; half the sourced fruit is biodynamically grown. Luke avoids the shortcuts of conventional viticulture: cover crops rebuild soil biology, compost from animals living near the vineyards returns organic matter, and weeds are removed by hand rather than by herbicide. The slow approach preserves the living systems that ultimately express themselves in the wine.
Winemaking
Grapes arrive at the winery and are processed in small batches. Fermentations use indigenous yeasts and bacteria. Wines age in neutral French oak barrels, bottled unfined and unfiltered. Only small amounts of sulfur are added, and no other additions are made. The philosophy is the same as the name: everything happens incrementally, carefully, without cutting corners.
The Wines
The Poco a Poco lineup includes Cabernet Sauvignon from Dry Creek Valley, Carignane from the Chapman Vineyard, Chardonnay from Mendocino, and a field blend-style red. Each wine carries the imprint of its specific vineyard source, bottled with a lightness of touch that lets place come through clearly. The range is approachable in price and serious in intent.
