The Wines

2021 Chenin Blanc

100% Old Vine Chenin Blanc

12.9% abv

Green Valley Vineyards

Soil: Conejo

Aged in 100% neutral French Oak: 10 months.

Vinification - Hand-harvested and intensely sorted in the vineyard and then at the winery ensures only the best fruit goes into the press. 75% of the fruit is destemmed, stomped by foot, and left to macerate on the skins for six hours prior to pressing to allow for more length in the wine. Once determined that the grapes are ready to be pressed; the remaining whole bunches are placed in the press to act as channel to allow the juice to pass through uninterrupted, followed by the destemmed fruit on top. The grapes are slowly, and gently pressed over the course of three hours. Settled overnight in tank, the juice is barreled down into neutral French Oak barrels and fermented cold for over a month. Secondary fermentation is allowed and finishes in the Spring.

Chenin Blanc - Tasting Note - Energy and tension drive a core of crushed rocks, wet stone, waxflower, and pear.
White Peach, citrus- with deep layers of saline minerality back by a striking mid-palate depth that will continue to emerge over time. The finish is clean, vibrant, and intensely focused.

Serving - Drink 2022-2030. Forward and fruit driven now. The acid driven wine will allow for an optimal aging period. Cellaring will allow for the complexity of the wine to show its true colors. Serve just above cellar temperature to all the aromas of pear, white peach and waxflower to truly emerge.

 

----

2021 Warpaw, Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley

Date of Harvest: 9/16/2023

Brix at Harvest: 23.4

PH: 3.55

TA: .63 g/100mL

Alc. by Vol: 13.3%

Viticulture – Roma’s Vineyard is located at 1850 feet above sea level on Lone Tree Ridge, overlooking the town of Boonville, parallel to the coast, taking in full sunlight. The soil is comprised of “Gold Ridge Loam” over sandstone. The rootstock, planted in 1993, is drought-resistant 3309, grafted to Pommard cuttings from Ted Bennet and Deborah Cahn’s world-renowned Navarro Vineyards. The vineyard is dry farmed by Dean Carrell using organic principals and cordon pruned with early leaf removal to allow the grapes to acclimate to the summer sun, which in turn thickens the skin, adds a deeper hue to the texture, discourages mildew, and at full maturity, adds more extraordinary richness and dimensionality of flavor.

 

Vinification – Hand-harvested and intensely sorted in the vineyard and then at the winery ensures only the best fruit goes into the tank. The fermentation was waded by foot twice daily, allowing for gentle extraction. The final blend includes 25% whole cluster inclusion and was aged in 50% new French Oak and 50% used French oak for 16 months.

 

Tasting Note – A young wine that bursts with energy when first opened. Delicate aromas of forest floor, red cherry, and cinnamon. It is immediately enjoyable and has soft, long, savory tannins that make it attractive with or without food. After breathing for several hours, the earthiness takes a back seat to cherry cola, pomegranate, cranberries, and rhubarb. The fresh fruit glides into the palate with a nice acid backbone, and gentle tannins persist on the palate for some time—13.3% alcohol.