This wine makes me want to dance like no ones watching. At our tasting, we all swallowed, which almost never happens (truth!). A really pretty and juicy nose of purple flowers and fresh strawberries, with super fine grained smooth tannins and great acid but not in a ripping way, just a really balanced and delightful way.
It is so fresh, I can’t believe it is a 2016.
From Emerald Pool South block at Alder Springs Vineyard. A south facing 15% slope block at 2,300 feet in elevation. The fruit was harvested on September 14th, 2016, at 22.7 brix.
Made using 50% whole cluster and native yeast fermentation. Cap management consisted of twice daily pump-overs. Élevage using a neutral 400L puncheon for 19 months. Bottled unfined and unfiltered, which means vegan. 41 cases produced.
2016 Filaments Grenache
$30.00
Alder Springs Vineyard is in the town of Laytonville deep in the heart of Mendocino. How deep? Down the road from Hog Farm, America’s oldest hippie commune, deep. Stu Bewley farms the land and while he may be no hippie, he brings to the table a similar willingness to experiment along with a reverence for the land. You can see this experimentation in the many varieties planted besides our vines. Petite Arvine growing alongside Falanghina? You could really put together a helluva field blend. The vines benefit from regenerative farming techniques with luxuriant cover crops amidst a bucolic setting that is a nice break from the usual vineland monoculture. The ranch is 6,000 total acres but of this only 200 acres is grapes. Does this pose special challenges? Only if you consider the annual loss of crops due to bears coming through and eating them a challenge.
Read more about Kevin and Erik here.