Variety: Schioppettino
Location: Napa Valley, CA
Alcohol: 11%

Fascinating flavors of cedar, white and black pepper, flowers, and raspberry. It is incredibly fresh tasting, with a stony minerality underlying the cooling flavors. It has naturally low alcohol and a very refreshing and clean finish. Tons and tons of flavor, yet feather light on the palate.

Grapes were destemmed and crushed, then fermented in very small stainless steel tanks. A mixture of manual punch downs and pump-overs. The tiny lot of wine fit into only two puncheons. Larger format puncheons were used instead of normal barrels to slow down the aging and preserve the aromatics.

The Schioppettino represents two rows of Matthiasson’s home vineyard in the Western Oak Knoll area of Napa Valley. The vines were planted in 1996. The budwood was grafted onto the mature Merlot vines in 2010. CCOF certified organic, with fruit trees at the ends of the rows and flowering bushes throughout for “good bug” habitat, the vines are serenaded throughout the season by kids, coyotes, owls, bees and the occasional roar of one of their old tractors.