Cattleya

Bibiana González Rave grew up in Medellín, Colombia, during the 1980s and 1990s, when the city was better known for its drug cartels than for its wine industry. She moved to France, trained as a viticulturist and oenologist, took part in harvests in the Côtes-du-Rhône and Bordeaux, and eventually settled in California. The brand she created in 2011 is named after Colombia’s national flower, a tribute to her homeland, and is produced exclusively from what California has given her.

History

Bibiana obtained a BTS diploma in viticulture and oenology in Cognac and a degree in oenology from the University of Bordeaux, graduating with distinction. She pruned vines at Domaine Stéphane Ogier and Domaine Clusel-Roch in Côtes-Rotie, conducted research at Château Haut-Brion and La Mission Haut-Brion, and worked in Burgundy, Alsace, South Africa and California before making the latter her permanent base.

By the end of 2011, she had launched Cattleya Wines, operating from Ronert Park in Sonoma County. In 2014, Wine Enthusiast magazine named her one of the ‘40 American Trendsetters Under 40’. The following year, the San Francisco Chronicle named her ‘Winemaker of the Year’.

Vineyards and terroir

Cattleya does not own its own vineyards. Bibiana sources grapes from selected growers across Sonoma County and the Napa Valley, paying particular attention to plots she knows well through her parallel work as a vineyard consultant. The Appellation Blend series is crafted from grapes sourced from Sonoma County and the wider California appellation; the premium Collection series utilises grapes from more specific vineyards and small plots. The varied terrain of Sonoma County, ranging from the cool, fog-prone Russian River Valley to the warmer, hillier areas further inland, provides her with a wide selection of terroirs particularly suited to the varieties she favours.

Grapes

The focus is on Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah. The Syrah reflects Bibiana’s formative years in the Côte-Rôtie, whilst the ‘Collection’ series features wines modelled on the style of the Northern Rhône.

The Pinot Noir and Chardonnay draw inspiration from her Burgundian experience. The name ‘Cattleya’ refers to Cattleya Trinae, an epiphytic orchid that grows throughout Colombia and was officially recognised as the country’s national flower in 1936.

Winemaking

Bibiana describes her wines as literally handmade. Harvest decisions are made not on the basis of technical indicators, but by taste, with an emphasis on acidity and tannins as the structural foundation of the wines. The stated aims are complexity of aroma and texture on the palate, as well as a long finish, which, in her words, develops particularly in the mid-palate. For some batches, night-time harvesting is used, and the fruit is sorted by hand at the winery before gentle pressing. This approach is clearly a result of her French training applied to Californian fruit.

Wines

The range is divided into two tiers.

The Appellation Blend series includes Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah from Sonoma County at an affordable price.

The Collection series is a step up and comprises small batches of single-vineyard wines, named after chapters in a narrative of the hero’s journey, a concept Bibiana uses in the brand’s identity.

The separate Alma de Cattleya brand covers a wider range of Californian appellations. The 2021 Alma de Cattleya Sauvignon Blanc was included in Wine Spectator’s Top 100 Wines list for 2022.

Tastings at the winery in Ronert Park are by appointment only.