Mermejita
$31.00
‘Mermejita’ comes from the southernmost vineyard we worked with in 2021 just miles from the U.S. Mexican border. Dulzura, CA is located in the lower Peninsular Range Region in San Diego County, situated at about 1,800 feet elevation. It is surrounded by steep mountains covered in granite boulders and chaparral vegetation. The marble, slates, schist and quartzites soils come from the cooling of molten magmas within the earth’s crust, some 120-90 million years ago.
The magmas were created during a convergence of the subduction of an oceanic crustal plate and the North American plate, and over millions of years masses of volcanic rocks accumulating in the earth’s crust metamorphosed the sedimentary rocks already present. A distinctly ancient region in terms of human existence, Dulzura’s soils reveal a geology of the Earth, and we were able to capture a tiny glimpse of that through the making of this Marsanne/Viognier co-ferment who’s vines’ roots were immersed in these primordial soils.
Dulzura has a 30+ degree diurnal shift and the Pacific Ocean breeze consistently blows through the region, keeping the vines cool in the heat of summer.
The grapes were hand harvested by crew and Will in August. 1 ton of Viognier was directly pressed on top of 1 ton of destemmed and crushed Marsanne into a 1 ton fermentor. Co-fermented for 7 days then pressed into French neutral Oak. Racked off gross lees in March ‘22. Aged in barrel for a total of 8 ½ months.
No additions or subtractions. Unfined, unfiltered, zero SO2.
Alcohol By Volume: 12.3%
Style: Skin Contact White
Variety: 50% Marsanne + 50% Viognier
Vineyard: Valentina Vineyards -1800 ft. elevation
AVA: South Coast
Farming: Organic
Harvest Date: 8-25-21
Bottling Date: 4-18-22
Cases Produced: 72
Fiber Art: Laura Basanta
Tasting Notes: Floral on the nose, taste of dried flowers, dried apricots, dried apples, earthy with salinity.