Preston Farm & Winery, Central Coast, California
Preston Farm and Winery is a family-operated, organic property in Healdsburg’s Dry Creek Valley. Our 125 acres are nestled between a meandering salmon-spawning stream and a sleepy stretch of former wagon trail leading to town. Under 45 years of stewardship by our family, the land has evolved from an emphasis on wine alone to diversified crops including vineyards, vegetables, fruit and olive trees, grain, and pastured livestock.
Our estate winery features a tasting room and farm store. Estate-pressed olive oil, whole grain sourdough loaves, pickles, and produce from the farm are seasonally available for purchase along with the wines.
Vineyards & Winery
Dry Creek Valley has a long and rich history of grape growing and wine production that reaches back to the late 1800s, when local immigrant families settled here to forge new lives and develop new communities. This vibrant stretch of Sonoma County has a deep, personal and survivalist side, reflected in the hard-scrabble quest of farmers to eke out a living from the soil, inventive adaptation to the rigors of Prohibition, and the contemporary blend of winemakers who blaze new trails in our growing valley. All of this culminates in the prideful joy of sharing with friends and neighbors the hand-wrought fruit of one’s labors. Our winery takes a page from all of these chapters as we balance tradition and innovation, allowing the unique personality of our land to shine through in our estate-grown wines.
Lou Preston
I learned to grow grapes and make wine at UC Davis in the early 70s. But my true education came at the knees of my elders and neighbors, those who came up in the farming world with bib overalls, a hefty skepticism, tireless curiosity, and endless creativity. Our 40-year dalliance with a 125 acre farm in Dry Creek Valley has led us from grapes and wine only to a dervish of diversity: now add olives, stone fruit, apples, vegetables, nuts, grains, pasture, hedgerows, sheep, chickens. Plus oil, bread, kraut and pickles.
Mission
Land is timeless, its intrinsic value an expression of natural systems and processes. The human community touches the land too, with a dynamic of give and take for the sustained enjoyment of its riches and inspirations. Our family and business is dedicated to the protection and enhancement of this dynamic through the practice of enlightened farming, the honoring of tradition, and the sharing of agrarian experience.
History
Our progression has been guided by the paradigms of happy chaos, serendipity and unintended consequences. Starting with viticultural mentorship from a guy with a long beard and a dog, to the planting of Syrah because it sounded like Petite Sirah, to the pressing of apple juice that reminded me of my grandmother, our wine and farm story is a random walk. Some would say our evolution has been purposeful and astute. Others might chalk it up to dumb luck. Susan and I would say it’s just been fun.
Farming
The methods employed at Preston are an amalgam of the teachings of UC Davis and practices followed historically by local farmers: academic vs tradition. An overarching dictate in both cases is to honor the specifics of the soils and local climate in the selection of grape varietals. Vine culture also is a dance between University dictates and neighbors’ habits. In general, we have come to appreciate the old ways because they are less intrusive to natural growing patterns and more compliant with Organic practices. Cover crops and compost replace chemical fertilizers, mechanical cultivation replaces herbicide weed control, respect for the health of the soils and greater tolerance for weeds sometimes replaces both. Old-timers here eschewed trellising because it conflicted with draft-horse cultivation; we do it both ways depending on the needs of the grapes. Environmental diversity and avoiding monoculture ensures the health of the farm, with natural pest control based on interplanting of different crops, mixed orchard and vine culture, establishment of extensive hedgerows, and protection of wild areas adjacent to vineyard blocks. Healthy farming is a community.
Varietals
Our land in upper-Dry Creek Valley is hot, the soils are well-drained–even gravelly–which led us to choose a medley of grapes whose provenance is Southern Europe. Our original property purchase included 100-year old blocks of Zinfandel and Carignane. To that we added grapes typical of France’s Rhone Valley and Italy’s Piedmont region bringing the varietal count to 13. An outlier in the mix was Sauvignon Blanc, a grape more at home to European coastal areas or northern river systems, but one that contradicted its cool-weather heritage by excelling on our farm.
The early selection of wine grapes was also based on what was already proven to do well here, and that was largely driven by the history of this neighborhood. We adopted the lore of the Prohibition period emphasizing robust red grapes that supplied shipments to home winemakers around the country and to illicit bootleggers here at home. Again it pointed to Zinfandel and Carignane plus the darkly pigmented Petite Sirah. Exploration of exotic grapes began with a fortuitous agreement with neighboring Dry Creek Vineyards to grow Sauvignon Blanc on contract. A lasting new direction came with the first trial block of Syrah, whose successful vinification was followed in short order by the planting of Mourvèdre, Cinsault, Grenache, Viognier, Marsanne, Rousanne, and Grenache Blanc.
Winemaking
Our winemaking philosophy and strategy is based on minimal intervention, relying on the health and balanced growth of the vines to guide the process. Grapes are gently harvested by hand, fermentations proceed naturally without the addition of commercial yeasts or bacterial inoculation, the addition of sulfites is minimal.
As all of our wines are made from grapes that we grow here on the farm, we have developed a deep understanding of the potential of each varietal and vineyard block. This enables us to utilize both blending and single varietal production as creative tools to ensure the optimum expression of each wine. And we have long been influenced by blending traditions of Rhone Valley producers in the marrying of Syrah, Mourvèdre, Grenache, Carignan and Cinsaut within our L.Preston Red, and Roussanne, Viognier, Marsanne and Grenache Blanc into our Madam Preston white.
We strive for balanced wines with emphasis on nuance rather than power. Alcohol levels, tannin presence, oak finish: all are moderate and balanced. Our goal is that the wines reveal their innate quality without an overlay of intrusive winemaking technique.
Terroir
Our goal is that our wines retain an authenticity that reflects where and how we grow them. The standard variables of terroir are soils and climate and how those interact with the different grape varietals. As we eased ourselves into the Organic world we came to appreciate the nuances of the microbiological world we work in as well. Soil microbial life has a lot to do with the flavor and health of the things we grow, and by our minimalist approach to farming we protect those organisms and ensure their impact. The same applies in the wine cellar. The less we do to the grapes on their journey to becoming wine, the more true to its inherent nature will be the wine. So we add no commercial yeast and no bacterial inoculums to drive the fermentations. It all happens naturally with organisms that are present in our vineyard and cellar. We think of our wines as an expression of our community of living things: soil organisms feeding the vines, grapes gathering the energy of their environment, wild yeasts and bacteria orchestrating a distinctive and unique symphony of flavor. That’s our take on terroir.
Community
Our winemaking aspirations began as an artisanal grapes-into-wine project, a singular and solitary endeavor in the lonely prune dehydrator we had converted to a crude winery. One day 40 years ago there was an insistent knock on the door; It was the owner of Red Arrow Liquor, an aspiring new wine shop in Chicago, who had heard about a young upstart making Zinfandel in Dry Creek Valley. But he didn’t just want to taste our wine, he wanted to hear our stories so he could feel like he was part of them. That was more than our first serious customer, it was our beginning awareness of the importance of the history, tradition, and culture of wine. Over the years we’ve experienced the joy of making wines we love and having customers that love them too. A heartfelt aspect of our broad community has been the lore of Dry Creek Valley, the shared ghosts of our predecessors on this land, the poignant calm of a summer afternoon sipping wine in the shade of the walnut tree, and thoughts of a farm-grown dinner washed down with a tumbler of wine. Our customers have become our friends and now we are introduced to the adult children of our early visitors who keep coming back. Ours is a shared community of wine lovers, story tellers, family memories and treasured moments. A community of wine.
Preston Farm & Winery – Organic, Vin Gris 2023
Our Vin Gris is a Provencal-inspired, dry rosé wine that weve historically made from Mourvedre, Cinsaut and Grenache. A few years ago we began an experiment with rose from Zinfandel grapes, and loved the rose-petal aromatics and lively acidity it brings; its been a four-grape blend since then. The goal here is for a vibrant and quenching wine, which seem like great attributes for a summertime aperitif! On the nose this blush wine is quite generous, with aromatics of wild and candied strawberry, charentais melon, citrus blossom and climbing rose. The palate is focused and refreshing, with flavors of watermelon and its rind, some sweet citrus, and just-ripe strawberry. -GH
50% Mourvedre | 30% Cinsaut | 10% Grenache | 10% Zinfandel
12.6 % Alcohol
TA: 5.7 g/L
pH: 3.30
Aging: 6 months. 80% stainless steel, 20% neutral oak barrels
Cases produced: 724
Grapes are certified organic (CCOF).
Fermentation is initiated spontaneously without the addition of commercial yeast or malolactic bacteria.
Preston Farm & Winery – Organic, Viognier 2022
Viognier is back from a bit of a hiatus, thanks to bountiful yields in 2022 that produced evenly ripe, balanced fruit. Our barrel-fermented offering shows a classic, perfumed nose of peaches, melon, and a bouquet of honeyed white flowers like jasmine, chamomile, and citrus blossoms. Apricot and citrus flavors show along with fascinating texture in the mouth, as the wine fills and coats the palate yet remains buoyant and lively. The textural showcase closes out with a bit of welcome grip that frames a quenching, dense finish. --GH
Grapes are certified organic (CCOF). Fermentation is initiated spontaneously without the addition of commercial yeast or malolactic bacteria.
Dry Creek Valley
Organically Grown
Estate-Bottled
100% Viognier
14.2 % Alcohol
TA: 5.5 g/L
pH: 3.58
Bottling date: 10/02/23
Release date: 11/15/23
Cases produced: 212
Preston Farm & Winery – Organic, White Wine 2021
Our White Wine project began as an experiment in 2019 to showcase some of the lesser-known white grapes in our experimental block. We were inspired to create this blend by some of our favorite white wines from the cooler regions of northern Italy, many of which feature traditional fermentation techniques involving the use of skin contact. Indeed, skin-fermented Sauvignon Blanc forms the core of this wine, as we experiment with different grapes and techniques to shape the surface around it.
The 2021 White Wine shows rich and layered aromatics anchored by notes of ripe apricot, pear juice, and loquat with herbal accents of white tea and fresh thyme. The delightfully textured palate leads the stone-fruit notes in a more citrus direction, as the flavors of Ribolla Gialla emerge. Bold, orange-pith structure frames a quite-satisfying finish. GH
Grapes are certified organic (CCOF). Fermentation is initiated spontaneously without the addition of commercial yeast or malolactic bacteria.
Dry Creek Valley
Organically Grown
Estate-Bottled
50% Sauvignon Blanc, 25% Ribolla Gialla.
25% Tocai Friulano
13.4 % Alcohol
TA: 5.4 g/L
pH: 3.6
Cases produced: 140
Aging: 5-8 years
Unfiltered
Preston Farm & Winery – Organic, Sauvignon Blanc 2022
Youve likely heard theres never a bad vintage in California, and thats almost true: a lot has to go wrong for grapes to refuse to ripen in our sunny clime. Less proclaimed is that the flipside is also likely true that a truly exceptional vintage is just as rare. Grapevines like consistency and moderation in weather, with cool nights and warm days. While they can tolerate late Spring storms and both the blistering sunshine and hot nights of a heat wave, this kind of weather whiplash leaves its mark on the wine as the grape physiology shapeshifts to react to the abrupt changes. What a blessing, then, to experience such a gloriously temperate exceptional year as 2023 and see it reflected in this complete, balanced, and expressive Sauvignon Blanc.
We enjoyed our latest start to harvest in over a decade, beginning on August 29th and lasting five days. As usual, we loaded some batches directly into the press to draw off crystalline juice, and foot-crushed some others a few hours before pressing; a brief maceration that brings mouthfeel and minerality to the finished wine. Fermentation took place in about 3/4 stainless steel tanks, and 1/4 French and Austrian oak barrels, which were encouraged to complete malolactic fermentation before being reunited with the stainless portion at bottling.
A nose of lemon peel, lemongrass, orange blossom and a subtle herbal element of cut orchard-grass and wild thyme. Broad and ample but quite focused on the palate, with rich, lemon-oil acidity, orange candy, lemongrass and gooseberry. And the true marker of this incredible vintage: a stunningly long, delightful finish; persistent and quenching. GH
Grapes are certified organic (CCOF).
Fermentation is initiated spontaneously without the addition of commercial yeast or malolactic bacteria
100% Sauvignon Blanc
13.4% Alcohol
TA: 7.0 g/L
pH: 3.20
Aging: 3-4 years from vintage
Cases produced: 1088
Preston Farm & Winery – Organic, Madam Preston White Blend 2021
A blend of the four white Rhone grapes we grow on the Estate, fermented separately and blended one month before bottling. The wine typically leads with the floral aromatics and stone-fruit flavors of Viognier, complemented by mineral and honey notes from a healthy dose of Marsanne, and supported by Roussannes rich structure and Grenache Blancs heartiness. In 2021 Grenache Blanc was fermented in a stainless steel tank; the remaining 93% of the wine fermented in french oak barrels (les than 10% new) with full malolactic fermentation.
2021 produced beautifully balanced wines, with slower ripening than surrounding years and excellent retention of acidity. This years Madam offers a generous nose of candied orange peel, honeysuckle, melon rind, and dulce de leche. On the palate it is rich and round but not too weighty, with flavors of nectarine, clementine and a saline, umami-like note likely contributed by Marsanne. Zesty, balanced and alive on the finish, showcasing the persistent, seamless acidity of the vintage. -GH
Grapes are certified organic (CCOF).
Fermentation is initiated spontaneously without the addition of
commercial yeast or malolactic bacteria.
56% Viognier, 20% Roussanne, 17% Marsanne, 7% Grenache Blanc
13.9% Alcohol
TA 5.4 g/L
3.34 pH
Cases Produced: 704
Aging Potential: 3-5 years from vintage
Preston Farm and Winery, Vermentino
As the roots of these six-year-old vines dig deeper into the cobbly river-wash in which theyre planted, the resulting wine gains depth and sophistication itself. A perfect vintage like 2023 can certainly help this evolution along as well, keeping at bay any heat waves or other unsavory events that might cause shallow-rooted young vines to react without the fortitude and resilience they will attain with age.
Because of late rains and cool temperatures, weve been able to wean this block from the previous years frequent watering schedule, resulting in more concentrated flavors in 2023. As in past years, we employ this wine in an exploration of richness and intensity by fermenting a portion of the grapes on their skins, like a red wine. When its all blended back together, what results is an effusively aromatic and textured wine like no other we make.
Tasting Notes: Effusive aromatics of orange, dried apricot, pineapple rind, with a hint of salinity and herbaceousness. A rich and nervy energy marks the palate, with flavors of apricot, orange creamsicle, cardamom, and persimmon. Lasting and focused finish, with tannin reminiscent of black tea. -GH
100% Vermentino
13.0% Alcohol
TA 5.7 g/L
3.61 pH
Grapes are certified organic (CCOF). Fermentation is initiated spontaneously without the addition of commercial yeast or malolactic bacteria.
Release Date: 01/15/2024
Cases Produced: 142
Preston Farm & Winery – Organic, Barbera 2021
After some early-season frost, 2022 was coasting along smoothly until around Labor Day, when we experienced record-setting heat. Heat waves are a challenge to endure for most grape varieties, but especially the fickle Barbera: will its berries keep their integrity, protected by good sap transport through the vine? Or will the plants give up the ghost, resulting in raisining? Weve seen both, but fortunately the heat event came early enough in the year that we had a successful harvest of sound, healthy, and intense fruit.
Half of the grapes were crushed under foot in tank as whole bunches, and the other half de-stemmed and pumped to the same tank. After a 2 week fermentation the wine was pressed off and aged in neutral oak vessels of various sizes, though weve been increasing the percentage of larger puncheons, which preserve freshness and aromatic purity.
Compared to the benchmark 2021 vintage, this years Barbera is brighter, a little more red-fruited, and certainly more playful where its predecessor was a little stately. It shows raspberry, cherry cola, and red licorice aromatics on the nose, followed by a tangy palate with loads of red fruit, spiced orange, and a thread of pine sap. Gentle tannins and plenty of acidity make this a match for your next pizza party, hopefully here with us at the Farm. -GH
Grapes are certified organic (CCOF). Fermentation is initiated spontaneously without the addition of commercial yeast or malolactic bacteria.
Dry Creek Valley
Organically Grown
Estate-Bottled
100% Barbera
14.0% Alcohol
TA: 7.6 g/L
pH: 3.35
Bottling date: 12/21/23
Release date: 04/15/24
Preston Farm & Winery – Organic, Carignane 2018
Our Carignane block in the Vogensen parcel is truly a gem of the entire Preston Vineyard: eighty year old vines stand, statuesque but sprawling, with the same dynamic balance inherent to a large, tangled oak. On harvest day in mid September, time slows a little, and we take care to sort and process the fruit from these soulful, weathered vines. With regard to winemaking, the wine is hardly made at all: the real work has already been done by the vines over most of the last century, their roots digging ever deeper in communion with the alluvial bench they stand on. Whole bunches of grapes are crushed by foot in a large open-top fermenter, and after a few weeks we drain the wine off to neutral barrels, where it ages for a year or so before bottling. A dynamic balance is expressed in the wine as well: within its unity is a tension between fruity notes of blackcurrant and plum and savory notes of leather and sap; and of granite and iron minerality vibrating with finely-grained tannic structure. These resilient vines were able to withstand the torrid heat of Labor Day 2022, which served to concentrate the fruit further and dial up the intensity for this bottling. The 2022 Carignane is a wine of energy and soul that represents a history of winegrowing in our corner of Dry Creek. GH
100% Carignane
13.0% Alcohol
TA: 6.4 g/L
pH: 3.55
Aging: 8-10+ years from vintage
Cases produced: 378
Grapes are certified organic (CCOF).
Fermentation is initiated spontaneously without the addition of
commercial yeast or malolactic bacteria.
Preston Farm & Winery – Organic, Grenache 2019
The 2022 growing season was going swimmingly until an incredible heat wave set upon us after Labor Day, causing a frenzy to get grapes picked. We picked the younger Grenache block before the heat, and those grapes produced a lighter style wine that really popped aromatically. To our great fortune, the older block withstood the heatwave with grace, its deep roots accessing water down there somewhere. The resulting wine was much riper and resolved, a deeply colored and rich tonic reminiscent of Mediterranean examples.
That harvest, with our evening barbecue, we happened to enjoy a number of memorable wines from Priorat, the best being a Scala Dei from 2017. A year later at blending time, an impish muse alighted on me: what if, like in Priorat, we tried some Carignane blended in to the Grenache? It took mere minutes to know we were on to something special. With depth, richness, and complexity, this Grenache transcends a mere character study of the grape; its a complete wine, likely with a long life ahead of it. Aromas and flavors of tangy berries, dark cherry, fruit leather and anise precede a dense, satisfying finish. Weve enjoyed it in the winter with duck, and and in the summer with a mixed grill. Let us know what you think next time youre here. -GH
76% Grenache, 24% Carignane
14.0% Alcohol
TA 5.5 gm/L
pH 3.78
Grapes are certified organic (CCOF).
Fermentation is initiated spontaneously without the addition of
commercial yeast or malolactic bacteria.
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Bottling Date: 02/15/2024
Release Date: 06/15/2024
Cases Produced: 244
Aging Potential: 5-7 years from vintage
Preston Farm & Winery – Organic, L Preston – Red Blend 2019
Lou began planting Rhone grapes in our corner of Dry Creek Valley in the late 70s, starting with Syrah and eventually moving on to the many others we have today. L. Preston commemorates these forward-thinking plantings, and is an homage to the great blended reds of the Southern Rhone. These days the wine is based on the juicy strawberry fruit, lushness and intensity of Grenache, the spice, earth and volume of Mourvedre, and the lifted aromatics, minerality and structure from Syrah. In smaller proportions, Carignane and Cinsaut add a firm anchor and intriguing herb-inflected fruit notes, respectively.
From vines averaging over 40 years in age, the 2021 vintage shows a perfumed and complex nose with dark berry, currant and black plum fruit, earthy notes of tar and leather, with a background of baking spice and cocoa powder. Fruit and spice arrive in equal parts on the palate, along with a delightful texture and mid-palate volume. A balanced but pronounced concentration leads to sweet tannins on the finish, an indication this wine can be enjoyed nowor later. -GH
32% Syrah, 31% Mourvedre, 29% Grenache, 8% Carignane
14.1% Alcohol
TA: 5.9 g/L
pH: 3.6
Aging: 10+ years from vintage
Cases produced: 882
Grapes are certified organic (CCOF) and our farming practices are Biodynamic. Fermentation is initiated spontaneously without the addition of commercial yeast or malolactic bacteria.
Preston Farm & Winery – Organic, Petite Sirah 2021
Unabashedly intense, the 2021 Petite Sirah is our monolith; a wine that snickers at our typical light-handedness and any attempts at restraint. We produced two lots in 2021, each fully fermented to dryness and left to macerate on the skins for an extra week or two. This extended time in tank helps to resolve and smooth out the ample tannin, resulting in a tightly-wound, dense wine without any ruggedness on the finish. Dark cherries, blackberries and a background of violets show on the nose, with added notes of licorice and currant in the mouth. Enjoy this relentlessly flavorful wine with a rich dish it can stand up to anything. -GH
100% Petite Sirah
14.2% Alcohol
TA 6.9 g/l
3.45 pH
Grapes are certified organic (CCOF).
Fermentation is initiated spontaneously without the addition of
commercial yeast or malolactic bacteria.
Bottling Date: 01/21/23
Release Date: 10/15/23
Release Date Cases Produced: 552
Aging Potential: 7-10+ years from vintage
Preston Farm & Winery – Organic, Syrah 2022
Our first varietal Syrah in five years, the 2022 Syrah is 100% Syrah, 100% whole-cluster fermented, and 100% from the Vogenson parcel of our farm, which is located across Pena Creek from the winery. These vines were planted in 1989, tucked away on an alluvial bench just up from the creek, and have always distinguished themselves from the Preston side fruit by their meaty, brooding, northern-Rhone like quality when made into wine. In 2022 we harvested this fruit just as the infamous Labor Day hot spell arrived. While some lots from later that year seem weighed down by their heat-induced concentration, the Syrah was fermenting away in the cellar during those scorching afternoons, blissfully unaware of the hardships its unpicked neighbor-grapes had to endure.
The resulting wine retains freshness and a nervy balance, with a meaty nose of cracked pepper, iodine and black licorice, accented by perfumed violet. The mouth shows a savory core, allowing just enough boysenberry fruit to pass through notes of game, grilled herbs, and chalky tannin. -GH
Grapes are certified organic (CCOF).
Fermentation is initiated spontaneously without the addition of commercial yeast or malolactic bacteria
100% Syrah
13.2% Alcohol
TA: 6.8 g/L
pH: 3.78
Bottling date: 08/15/23
Release date: 01/2/24
Cases produced: 240
Preston Farm & Winery – Organic, Zinfandel 2021
Fruit for our Zinfandel comes from five distinct blocks on the property, with plantings ranging in age from 21 to 112 years old. In 2021, the standout batch of wine came from a mixed block of 80 and 40 year old dry-farmed vines right out at the corner of the property next to the guest house. On an alluvial bench elevated from the creek, the soils here are a beautifully structured loam which has kept these older beauties thriving for so many years, and helps produce a balanced zin with brambly berry flavor and plenty of acidity. In 2021 it forms the core of the Zinfandel bottling, at about 40% of the wine.
Vibrant and layered, the 2021 Preston Zinfandel shows briary, dark-red-berry fruit on the nose, with notes of plum, mocha powder, and peppercorn. The palate is deliciously lengthened by the addition of 8% Mataro (Mourvedre), which accentuates the plum flavor as well. Ripe red raspberry, tobacco and a signature note of blood orange show before the arrival of dusty Dry Creek tannins and a richly structured finish. -GH
Grapes are certified organic (CCOF).
Fermentation is initiated spontaneously without the addition of
commercial yeast or malolactic bacteria
92% Zinfandel, 8% Mataro
14.6% Alcohol
TA: 5.8 g/L
pH: 3.64
Bottling Date: 2/15/23
Release Date: 6/1/23
Aging Potential: 5-8 years from vintage
Preston Farm and Winery Mourvedre
Our first bottling since a small amount in 2019, the 2022 is a deliciously complex wine that were excited to have so much of. Aromatics are intense and generous, with scents of black plum, blueberry, fresh tobacco leaves, and cleveland sage. The plump, medium-bodied palate adds flavors of wild blackberry, pomegranate, and roast game, with juicy acidity and chewy tannin on the finish. Buoyed by a distinct freshness throughout, the 2022 Mourvedre should prove to be a benchmark for our efforts with this grape for years to come.
Grapes are certified organic (CCOF).
Fermentation is initiated spontaneously without the addition of
commercial yeast or malolactic bacteria.
100% Mourvedre
13.8% Alcohol
TA: 5.8 g/L
pH: 3.70
Bottling date: 03/06/24
Release date: 04/15/24
Preston Farm and Winery, Nero d’ Avola
Our Nero dAvola project is one of the most exciting recent developments in the vineyard and winery, and were so grateful that what began as an experiment has blossomed into a captivating and delicious new way to express our land.
After harvesting the grapes on the last cool morning before an infamous heat wave set in, clusters were destemmed and sent to tank where theyd spend the next 50 days macerating on their skins before, during, and for weeks after fermentation. This extended skin contact time brings tertiary flavors and complexity to the primary, fresh-red-fruit essence of the wine. Aromas of vibrant red raspberry, pomegranate and cherry are framed by notes of dried orange peel, rose petal, and red licorice. The raspberry and pomegranate core is up front and generous in the mouth, with notes of tangy blood orange and a clean, mouthwatering finish. Eminently drinkable, but serious enough to be a topic of extended conversation. -GH
100% Nero d'Avola
13.2 % Alcohol
TA: 7.6 g/L
pH: 3.4
Grapes are certified organic (CCOF).
Fermentation is initiated spontaneously without the addition of commercial yeast or malolactic bacteria.
Cases Produced: 153