Region: Santa Lucia Highlands, California
Grapes: Pinot Noir
Body: Light-Medium
Notes: Strawberry, rhubarb, pomegranate, cranberry, black tea, spice
About the wine: We picked the grapes at 3am on October 6th and took them to our winery in San Miguel where we immediately pressed them to separate them from the skins. We held the juice in tank, very cold, for 36 hours to let it settle. Fermentation also happened on the cold side to preserve all those delicious red fruit aromas and flavors. Bottling this baby at exactly the right moment is what it all comes down to. Once it hit our target residual sugar, we centrifuged the wine to remove some of the solids (so it looks pretty in bottle), then we chilled the tank down even more to really slow that fermentation. Then it was bottled and moved to a warming room so that the fermentation would start back up again in bottle. We continued to check alcohol and residual sugar every two weeks until fermentation was complete and the wine was dry!
Note: Ancestral Method wines finish fermentation in bottle. It is lightly fined and filtered, so sediment in the bottle is part of the experience.
About the winemaker: Offscript is a winemaking incubator from the country’s largest family-owned winery, giving talented winemakers free rein to bring their visions to life. It is inspired by the legacy of mentorship started 60 years ago by Julio Gallo.
Each year, Offscript empowers a new “class” of winemakers to create wines that challenge the status quo and explore beyond the confines of tradition.
Region: Santa Lucia Highlands, California
Grapes: Pinot Noir
Body: Light-Medium
Notes: Strawberry, rhubarb, pomegranate, cranberry, black tea, spice
About the wine: We picked the grapes at 3am on October 6th and took them to our winery in San Miguel where we immediately pressed them to separate them from the skins. We held the juice in tank, very cold, for 36 hours to let it settle. Fermentation also happened on the cold side to preserve all those delicious red fruit aromas and flavors. Bottling this baby at exactly the right moment is what it all comes down to. Once it hit our target residual sugar, we centrifuged the wine to remove some of the solids (so it looks pretty in bottle), then we chilled the tank down even more to really slow that fermentation. Then it was bottled and moved to a warming room so that the fermentation would start back up again in bottle. We continued to check alcohol and residual sugar every two weeks until fermentation was complete and the wine was dry!
Note: Ancestral Method wines finish fermentation in bottle. It is lightly fined and filtered, so sediment in the bottle is part of the experience.
About the winemaker: Offscript is a winemaking incubator from the country’s largest family-owned winery, giving talented winemakers free rein to bring their visions to life. It is inspired by the legacy of mentorship started 60 years ago by Julio Gallo.
Each year, Offscript empowers a new “class” of winemakers to create wines that challenge the status quo and explore beyond the confines of tradition.
What is natural wine?
Natural wine is wine made with minimal intervention from the winemaker, using organically or biodynamically grown grapes and without the addition of chemicals or additives such as sulfites. The result is a wine that is unique, expressive, and often has a more complex and nuanced flavor profile than conventional wines. Natural wine is also often associated with sustainable and ethical farming practices, making it a popular choice for those interested in environmentally friendly and socially responsible products.