Santa Cruz/Lodi. This supple and red-fruited Rhône-inspired blend boasts an average vine age of over 100 years. The Carignan is sourced from two century-old vineyards within 500 metres of each other in the Mokelumne River area of Lodi. The Grenache is from the Besson Vineyard in Santa Cruz. A fifty-fifty blend, each of the varieties is vinified separately: the Carignan saw partial carbonic maceration, while the Grenache fruit was all destemmed but had 30% of the stems layered back in Alex Krause’s ‘lasagne-like’ wild ferments. They were raised in old barrique and demi-muid for eight months.
You’ll find a core of slinky red fruits licked by brambly spice and satisfying earthy notes. Mouth-watering acidity and tightly integrated tannins provide the structure and there’s a vibrant dusky lilt to the finish.