Soul Of Mendocino

Located in the rugged terrain of northern California, near the banks of the Upper Russian River and the foothills of the Mayacamas, Saracina Vineyards encompasses a 400-acre working ranch and California Certified Sustainable winery. Amidst breathtaking vistas and rolling hills, this biodiverse estate boasts a grove of 140-year-old olive trees, vegetable gardens, beehives, alpacas, goats, and a variety of native wildlife. Family lies at the core of the estate—a principle upheld since its establishment in 2001. Since 2018, the Taub family has proudly stewarded the land, forging an even stronger foundation for excellence through extensive soil analysis and pioneering a full organic conversion and water conservation system. With Saracina Vineyards, the Taub family is committed to bringing Mendocino to the forefront of quality winemaking, showcasing the unique terroir and dedication to sustainability that define their approach.

The grapes were harvested and field-sorted by hand beginning with our estate-grown hillside Zinfandel on September 20. Midway through harvest we pulled the remaining Zins and Grenache from G & W, Klotter, Chapman and Kenmar. We ended with two lovely blocks of old vine Carignane from both Niemi and Casa Verde, and black as night Petite Sirah from Niemi, all on October 14 (a busy day!). Brix averaged 24.8.

The individual lots were picked at full maturity, de-stemmed and gently transferred into fermenters with almost 100% whole berries. Musts soaked at a cool temperature for four to seven days, at which point native yeast fermentation began. Post-fermentation maceration followed for approximately one week. The wine was aged in French oak barrels (15% new) for 15 months, which included five months of native malolactic fermentation. The blend was assembled and bottled in March 2024.

Explosive aromas of ripe black plum and crème de cerise waft from the glass, with contributing cocoa and sandalwood notes. The palate delivers a similar impression, a mouth-filling combination of juicy black fruits and peppery spice. The wine finishes with integrated tannins and excellent length. This wine calls for slowly cooked fare, short ribs, or roasted root vegetables in the winter months or grilled hamburgers or ribs in the summer months.