Birichino
Grape: Malvasia Bianca
Region: Santa Cruz, CA
This block of Malvasia Bianca is approaching its fourth decade up on bench on the Santa Lucia side of the Salinas Valley. From cuttings originally brought to California from Calabria at the turn of the last century, it remains the most incredibly aromatic selection of this variety we've ever encountered. We harvested at night, and allowed it to sit, skins in contact with the juice until the following afternoon before pressing and fermenting in stainless steel. The 2019 iteration is shifted a bit towards the lush life, with more generosity and texture, and aromas recalling frangipani and honeysuckle, rather than the leaner, laser-driven jasmine and lime citrus focus of the 2018. Like the previous vintages, it should age well into the decade, but is also delicious right now.
