Parum Leo, or “little lion”, is a family-run, small-lot producer of boutique wines based in Petaluma, CA. While we specialize in Pinot Noir, we also offer a selection of premium white and red wines. We source grapes from various appellations in Northern California, and grow our own on our estate in Petaluma. We invite you to visit us in our impeccably renovated historic barn and patio for an appointment-only tasting.
Parum Leo gets its name from the pinot grape which some consider to be the “little lion” of the wine industry. Unlike wine made from “big lion” grapes, it doesn’t need a large steak to break through the alcohol and tannin to make it enjoyable. Pinot grapes are lithe, robust, and like to come out at night, just like the elusive mountain lions who traipse through our local vineyards.
Pinot Noirs that best reflect the synergy between nature and the winemaker are light and complex. For this reason, we find the best vineyard sites with interesting soil compositions and let the warm afternoon sun and cool coastal evening fog perform their magic on the delicate grapes. Once picked, our grapes are hand sorted, de-stemmed, cold soaked, and then left alone until the natural yeast kickstarts fermentation. After fermentation, we extend maceration for several weeks which allows for a richer, but less bitter, wine. From there, we let our wine rest in French oak barrels for a year and a half, and then it goes into the bottle, unfiltered. These processes ensure our wines tell the story of the Pinot Noir grapes as the unadulterated essence of their terroir.
Parum Leo has been fortunate to work with a number of legendary Russian River Valley wine producers, and they have allowed us access to the best sources of fruit in the region. Finding the right fruit, from the right vineyard, located in the right place, and farmed by the best crew is is crucial for our style of winemaking. While the Russian River appellation has become world-renowned for its pinots, this popularity has also brought an influx of high-proof, excessively fruit forward wines that are aggressively manipulated during fermentation. We want to return to the essence of pinot: a wine that tells us where it is from, not the processes that were inflicted upon it.
Outside of the romance of making wine, there is a lot of hard, manual work, and getting hands purple for the sake of the end creation. The reward for us at Parum Leo is to make a truly memorable wine that people will enjoy now, and for years to come.
