Good Farming and a Whole Lot of Soul: Inside Overshine’s Winemaking
If you’ve ever stopped by our Healdsburg tasting room, you already know we love a good throwback. The spin of a vinyl record, the warmth of vintage-inspired decor, the easy flow of good conversation – we love the classics. And when it comes to the wines in your glass, our philosophy is exactly the same.
At Overshine, our team is led by fourth generation winemaker Sam Bilbro along with co-winemaker Cristina Lesesne. Together, they don’t rely on strict formulas or modern winemaking “flexes”. Instead, they embrace a hands-off, “less is more” approach that lets nature do the talking. From the wild, buzzing biodiversity of our organically farmed estate vineyards to the balanced bottles inspired by 1970s California, every drop we make is a love letter to a specific moment in time.
Grab a glass and come along for a look behind the vines to see how we cultivate, craft, and celebrate the joyful, honest wines that define Overshine Wine Co.
Winemaking Style:
Our “Shining Star”
Our winemaking style is simple: start with great fruit, let native yeasts do their thing, and practice a little patience. Because we step back and let the fruit lead, each vintage tastes a little different year-to-year. No recipes, no formulas – just good farming and a little patience.
This less is more approach is why each vintage shows variation and its unique character. We love the idea that the wine we bottle is a reflection of one particular growing season, one harvest, and one moment in time in the vineyard.
Like the Vinyl in the Tasting Room, We Love the Classics…
That same love for old-school soul culture shapes everything that goes into our barrels. Take our Russian River Pinot Noir , it’s a direct love letter to 1970s California winemaking, inspired by the greats of the era like Joseph Swan. There was something special about winemaking back then. It wasn’t about prestige or showing off.
That’s the feeling we chase: classic, joyful, delicious wines made with balance and restraint. We make the kind of wine that works on any table, in any setting, with any group of friends. Nothing overly extracted or manipulated that’s trying to be something it’s not.
How We Farm Our Estate Vineyards
When you step into Las Cimas or Il Campo, our two estate vineyards in Sonoma County, you’ll notice they’re nothing like the perfectly manicured vineyard rows with bare soil you see on Instagram. They’re buzzing with insects, filled with birdsong, and crimson clover sways in the wind right alongside those gnarly old vines. It’s wild and feral, and that’s exactly how we like it.
We’re firm believers in letting nature lead the way, which is why both vineyards are farmed with organic and regenerative practices. That looks like perennial cover crops that build soil health year-round, low-to-no-till farming, and leaning into the natural systems that have always known how to take care of themselves without our human intervention. On a hillside vineyard like Las Cimas and Il Campo, these practices also help prevent erosion and keep carbon in the ground.
Some call these sustainable or natural winemaking practices. We call it doing right by the land so the next generation gets to enjoy these vineyards as much as we do.
Las Cimas
Las Cimas is a site of hills and valleys. It’s a place so steeped in beauty it’s hard to believe this vineyard exists right in Healdsburg. Over 40 varieties of grapes are planted on 70 acres of windswept hillsides. From a winemaking perspective, those windy slopes are part of what makes Las Cimas vineyard so special. Mountain grown fruit planted in these conditions develop thick skins that yield great depth of flavor, while the cool wind keeps ripeness moderate for freshness.
The surrounding 500 acres of Las Cimas are teeming with ancient oak trees, maples, buckeye, madrone, and firs. California wildflowers keep native bees and butterflies happy all year long, and dozens of species of birds and mammals call this place home.
Grape vines do particularly well in this microclimate. Warm, sun-kissed days are shouldered by a coastal fog that lingers in the morning and reemerges late in the evening as the winds roll in.
Il Campo
If you’ve ever sat on the patio at our Healdsburg tasting room, you’ve already seen Il Campo – it’s right there, spilling down the hillside on Westside Road at the southern tip of Dry Creek Valley.
When we acquired Il Campo, one of the first things we did was transition the vineyard to regenerative and organic practices. That means low-watering techniques, no synthetic inputs, and letting the soil build its own health over time via perennial cover crops. The result is a vineyard that’s as alive below the surface as it looks from the patio.
In a nod to the early Italian immigrants who shaped Dry Creek Valley’s winemaking identity, you’ll find five acres of Zinfandel, one acre of Petite Sirah, and small amounts of Carignan and Alicante Bouschet: the very same varieties those early farmers knew and loved.
How About the Wines?
We could give you a list of tasting notes like dark cherry, hints of tobacco, a long finish, but that’s not really how we think about Overshine wines. What matters more to us is how they make you feel and how you enjoy them.
These are delicious, fruit-forward wines that work on any table, in any setting, with any group of friends. They are built for a Tuesday night with takeout, a dinner party with your favorite people that goes way longer than planned, or a bottle pulled from the cellar years from now to celebrate something special. At the end of the day, it’s just about pure joy.
The White Wines
TLDR: We make bright acidic white wines with textured palates that will leave you craving just one more sip.
Our line-up of white wines is always evolving, but our core offerings will always be a fresh, lively Sauvignon Blanc (a favorite in our Healdsburg tasting room, BTW), a bright and cheerful Chardonnay (no buttery Chard here), and a brand new Vermentino that our tasting room regulars are already raving about.
The Red Wines
TLDR: We make red wines that are fruit forward, balanced, and have a soulful rusticity.
Red wines are where we shine. They’re fruit forward, but not overly done. We use minimal to no new oak. Native yeast on all wines and partial whole cluster on most lend savory spice & earth, structure, and balance.
Using the same simple principles of the small growers of Europe that still use a traditional hands-off approach to winemaking produces red wines that are soulful and rich while not being overly extracted.
At the End of the Day, It’s About Joy
Whether you’re pouring a crisp glass of our new Vermentino on a sunny afternoon or opening a bottle of Las Cimas Pinot Noir at the winery, these wines are meant to be lived in. They aren’t status symbols to keep locked away – they are an invitation to slow down, put on a good record, and enjoy the company you’re with.
Cheers to keeping things classic. Keep Shining.
