The Story
The Albariño comes from a beautiful vineyard site in Calaveras County, owned and managed by Matthew Rorick and family. The fruit was harvested pre-dawn on August 11th, at 22.5 deg brix., and promptly hauled “down the hill” to the winery. Whole cluster pressed and fermented in neutral Hungarian oak barrels, there were no additions made to the wine aside from a moderate amount of sulfur dioxide to prevent oxidation. Aged 11 months on lees, and bottled on August 24th, 2016.
Vine Age: Planted in 2003
Soil Types: Schist, quartz, and volcanic soils, not classified
by USGS
Tasting Notes: Citrus blossom aromatics, with lemon oil, pineapple, lemongrass, minerality, and viscosity on palate.
Wine Information
Rancho Chimiles Block G Valdiguié - Napa Valley AVA, 600' above sea level, in marine sediment and sandstone soils in the Vaca Mountain Range in southeast Napa County, temperatures moderated by morning fog from San Pablo Bay, site was part of one of the original Mexican land grants in California. Rorick Vineyard Block 13 Albariño - Sierra Foothills AVA, 2,000' above sea level, in schist and quartz soils in Calaveras County, warm daytime temperatures and cool alpine nights, the site is located in an incredible geological pocket and is adjacent to the limestone Mercer Caverns as well as the "Macaroni Flat" area where mining for gold, silver, and copper was prevalent in the 19th century.