2015 Maitre de Chai Chardonnay Michael Mara....$47.99
Only 1 barrel made - 25 cases!
Very rare!
After the crop in 2014 was too small to make any wine from this vineyard for MDC, in 2015 we were finally able to make our third bottling of the Michael Mara vineyard. At the base of the Sonoma Mountain range we are enlightened disciples of this vineyard by way of Abe Shoener and Steve Matthiasson. Both Abe and Steve have equally taught us lessons in what this vineyard is capable of through the wines they have produced from this vineyard over the years at their productions, The Scholium Project and Matthiasson Family Wines. Together, they are the only reason we were able to produce this wine.
Farmed by Steve, the soil of this vineyard is the result of what we believe to be a cataclysmic landslide that cascaded rocks and volcanic soil onto the valley floor. It took Steve years to clear the vineyard enough to actually be able to plant vines. The vineyard is an undulating croupe of rocks and red soil that makes for an incredibly distinctive and powerful wine. Michael Mara is 100% Chardonnay, from Old Wente clone four. It possesses a natural richness and a beautiful bright acidity, as we use completely neutral oak and very little sulfur throughout its élevage. The wine is hand labeled and hand bottled unfined and unfiltered.
Farmed by Steve, the soil of this vineyard is the result of what we believe to be a cataclysmic landslide that cascaded rocks and volcanic soil onto the valley floor. It took Steve years to clear the vineyard enough to actually be able to plant vines. The vineyard is an undulating croupe of rocks and red soil that makes for an incredibly distinctive and powerful wine. Michael Mara is 100% Chardonnay, from Old Wente clone four. It possesses a natural richness and a beautiful bright acidity, as we use completely neutral oak and very little sulfur throughout its élevage. The wine is hand labeled and hand bottled unfined and unfiltered.
2016 Maitre de Chai Chenin Blanc Kierkegaard...$31.99
The Saini family have a rich history dating back to the early 1900’s. The Sainis are 4th generation Sonoma County grape growers that have been farming grapes in Dry Creek Valley and Alexander Valley for over 90 years.
Planted in 1981 in an old, dry riverbed filled with sandy loam soils, the 2-acre block of dry-farmed Chenin Blanc is grown on St. George rootstock. Because Saini is a warmer site, they don’t do too much canopy work, which ensures that the grapes are protected from the sun. We typically like to see this wine picked at about 21-22 brix to preserve its natural acidity.
Leo Hansen, the winemaker at Leo Steen Wines inspired us to make Chenin Blanc. Leo made it possible for us to source grapes from this incredible site; he encouraged us to take the leap of faith. We drew inspiration for the name of this wine from Søren Aabye Kierkegaard—considered to be the first existentialist philosopher—who was a Danish social critic, theologian and poet.
“A man who as a physical being is always turned toward the outside, thinking that his happiness lies outside him, finally turns inward and discovers that the source is within him.”
– ‘The Predicament of a Man’ by Søren Kierkegaard
No comments:
Post a Comment