Grenache Blanc 2024
Our first white wine, and what a wine it is. In a sea of sameness, we wanted to make something with real personality. But we’re not the only ones. Unlike years past, when producers sought to create wines that were smooth, and didn’t make a fuss, today’s winemakers are determined to show there’s a lot more to California than buttery Chardonnay and crisp Sauvignon Blanc. I applaud these efforts to break the mold - variety is good, for the soil, for your palate, for life. But the wine must also be delicious. Our Grenache Blanc is so delicious it will catch you by surprise, and make you smile.
The Grape
A mutation of Grenache, the more famous red variant, Grenache Blanc is native to northeastern Spain, but can also be found in the southern Rhône Valley of France, South Africa, and increasingly throughout California. If not farmed properly, the grapes will lack acid, and if not produced with care, the wine will quickly oxidize and taste of bruised apples. But with care and attention, it yields wines full of salt and minerals, candied oranges and crème brûlée, and best of all, a subtle tannic bite more commonly found in volcanic reds like Etna Rosso or Listán Negro from the Canary Islands.
The Source
The fruit all came from Preston Vineyard & Winery in the Dry Creek Valley. In operation for over 45 years now, they employ only organic practices, and believe that “healthy farming is a community.” Translation: a healthy vineyard is but one component of a healthy farm, one with a diversity of crops, animals, and plants. This diversity provides natural pest management, allowing them to avoid synthetic pesticides, build healthy soil, and produce grapes reflective of where they were grown.
The Winemaking
Harvested the last day of August 2024, the grapes were picked early in the morning and landed at the winery by 9am. I intended to press them straight away, but working in a co-op space with four others requires flexibility. I was fourth in line to use the press that day, which really meant I’d press the next day, so I jumped in the bins and stomped the bunches before adding a hefty dose of dry ice to keep them blanketed in CO2. When I pressed out the next day, the juice had the beautiful golden hue for which the variety is well known. I transferred to a stainless steel tank where the wine fermented slowly (via native yeast) over two weeks until bone dry, then into neutral barrels it went. There it sat, on the lees, developing into the beauty it is today.
How's it taste?
Medium-bodied, with candied orange, lemon curd, and plenty of salty minerals. It has a hint of tannin, which you’ll feel at the back of your tongue when swallowing. It adds a great textural component to the wine, and helps keep it lively and fresh. You’ll taste no oak since we did not age in new oak. You’ll taste no butter (diacetyl) since the wine never went through malolactic fermentation. I truly love it, and hope you do too.
How to drink and enjoy
These wines will be bottled in early June. We will either ship from California or from our warehouse in New York. We’re still sorting out logistics, but we will be in touch as soon as the wines are ready for shipment. Wines also don't like being shipped, and are usually much better if given a week or so to settle down after they arrive.
Once it’s drinking time, be sure to serve this one around 50 degrees, maybe even a bit cooler. Unlike many other white varieties, Grenache Blanc doesn’t lose all of its aroma and flavor when cold. Your efforts (and patience) will be rewarded.
Details
Appellation: Dry Creek Valley
Vineyard: Preston Vineyard
Aging: 8 months sur lie in neutral French oak
Production: 72 cases
Specs: Alcohol: 12.9% | Titratable Acidity: 6.6 g/L | pH: 3.33 | Volatile Acidity: 0.29 g/L
Our first white wine, and what a wine it is. In a sea of sameness, we wanted to make something with real personality. But we’re not the only ones. Unlike years past, when producers sought to create wines that were smooth, and didn’t make a fuss, today’s winemakers are determined to show there’s a lot more to California than buttery Chardonnay and crisp Sauvignon Blanc. I applaud these efforts to break the mold - variety is good, for the soil, for your palate, for life. But the wine must also be delicious. Our Grenache Blanc is so delicious it will catch you by surprise, and make you smile.
The Grape
A mutation of Grenache, the more famous red variant, Grenache Blanc is native to northeastern Spain, but can also be found in the southern Rhône Valley of France, South Africa, and increasingly throughout California. If not farmed properly, the grapes will lack acid, and if not produced with care, the wine will quickly oxidize and taste of bruised apples. But with care and attention, it yields wines full of salt and minerals, candied oranges and crème brûlée, and best of all, a subtle tannic bite more commonly found in volcanic reds like Etna Rosso or Listán Negro from the Canary Islands.
The Source
The fruit all came from Preston Vineyard & Winery in the Dry Creek Valley. In operation for over 45 years now, they employ only organic practices, and believe that “healthy farming is a community.” Translation: a healthy vineyard is but one component of a healthy farm, one with a diversity of crops, animals, and plants. This diversity provides natural pest management, allowing them to avoid synthetic pesticides, build healthy soil, and produce grapes reflective of where they were grown.
The Winemaking
Harvested the last day of August 2024, the grapes were picked early in the morning and landed at the winery by 9am. I intended to press them straight away, but working in a co-op space with four others requires flexibility. I was fourth in line to use the press that day, which really meant I’d press the next day, so I jumped in the bins and stomped the bunches before adding a hefty dose of dry ice to keep them blanketed in CO2. When I pressed out the next day, the juice had the beautiful golden hue for which the variety is well known. I transferred to a stainless steel tank where the wine fermented slowly (via native yeast) over two weeks until bone dry, then into neutral barrels it went. There it sat, on the lees, developing into the beauty it is today.
How's it taste?
Medium-bodied, with candied orange, lemon curd, and plenty of salty minerals. It has a hint of tannin, which you’ll feel at the back of your tongue when swallowing. It adds a great textural component to the wine, and helps keep it lively and fresh. You’ll taste no oak since we did not age in new oak. You’ll taste no butter (diacetyl) since the wine never went through malolactic fermentation. I truly love it, and hope you do too.
How to drink and enjoy
These wines will be bottled in early June. We will either ship from California or from our warehouse in New York. We’re still sorting out logistics, but we will be in touch as soon as the wines are ready for shipment. Wines also don't like being shipped, and are usually much better if given a week or so to settle down after they arrive.
Once it’s drinking time, be sure to serve this one around 50 degrees, maybe even a bit cooler. Unlike many other white varieties, Grenache Blanc doesn’t lose all of its aroma and flavor when cold. Your efforts (and patience) will be rewarded.
Details
Appellation: Dry Creek Valley
Vineyard: Preston Vineyard
Aging: 8 months sur lie in neutral French oak
Production: 72 cases
Specs: Alcohol: 12.9% | Titratable Acidity: 6.6 g/L | pH: 3.33 | Volatile Acidity: 0.29 g/L