WINE FROM SPECIAL PLACES

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THE HUNT FOR COMPELLING VINEYARDS OFTEN REQUIRES A PATH LESS TRODDEN

From the rugged mountains of Mendocino County to the foggy valleys below Santa Cruz Mountains, there is a finite number of truly great Northern California vineyard sites growing Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Our charge is to find the best grapes and to render wines that faithfully translate the unique expression of place.

CHARDONNAY

PINOT NOIR

OUTLIERS

CHARDONNAY

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SoCo, Sonoma County Chardonnay

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Estero, Russian River Valley Chardonnay

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Demuth Vineyard, Anderson Valley Chardonnay

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La Marisma Vineyard, Santa Cruz Mountains

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Howard Family Vineyard, Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay

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Chuy Vineyard, Sonoma Valley Chardonnay

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Skycrest Vineyard, Anderson Valley Chardonnay

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Tidal Break Vineyard, Sonoma Coast Chardonnay

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Kimari Vineyard, Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay

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Casa Seca Vineyard, Russian River Valley Chardonnay

PINOT NOIR

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Mendocino County Pinot Noir

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Lejano, Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

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La Selva, Anderson Valley Pinot Noir

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Abel Vineyard, Anderson Valley Pinot Noir

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Edmeades Vineyard, Anderson Valley Pinot Noir

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Saveria Vineyard, Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir

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Cerise Vineyard, Anderson Valley Pinot Noir

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Kiser Vineyard, Anderson Valley Pinot Noir

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Demuth Vineyard, Anderson Valley Pinot Noir

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Sealift, Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

OUTLIERS

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Lolonis Vineyard, Redwood Valley Sauvignon Blanc

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Lolonis Vineyard, Redwood Valley Old Vine White

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Kick-On Ranch, Santa Barbara Gruner Veltiner

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Lolonis Vineyard, Redwood Valley Valdigue

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Caleta, Santa Cruz Mountains Syrah

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Rosé of Carignan, Mendocino County

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Ojo de Perdiz, Sonoma Coast Rosé

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Sativa, Mendocino County Carignan

cortese bottle

Lost Slough Vineyard, Clarksburg Cortese

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Indica, Mendocino County Red Table Wine

SoCo, Sonoma County Chardonnay - 2022

Vintage 2022 was shaping up a lot like 2021. Another drought year with very small yields and near ideal growing weather. That is...until Labor Day Weekend at which time California was braced by a historic meteorological event called a Heat Dome. Followed by an early September rain squall! The vintage will be divided into three chapters--fruit picked before the heat/rain, fruit picked during the heat/rain, and fruit picked after the heat/rain. Our preference for low brix fruit allowed us to begin harvesting Chardonnay on August 28th. By Sept 2nd, we had picked most of the fruit for this cuvee—before the heat/rain began to wreck havoc. This early-picked fruit had brilliant chemistry, as drought vintage fruit often does, and deeply concentrated flavors. Since 2019 we have been declassifying barrels of Chardonnay from top tier LIOCO cuvees into this wine. SoCo will always be defined by its mouth watering, steely freshness ala the Louis Michel Chablis that inspired it, but the barrel fermented additions have added complexity and mouth feel without any trace of oakiness.

AROMA
tangerine oil, fresh fennel frond, shale

FLAVOR
lemon custard, river stone, fresh thyme

FOOD PAIRINGS
chicken paillard, fried fish sandwich, cauliflower gratin

Estero, Russian River Valley Chardonnay

*Rock Juice*

If you like Chardonnay that smells like crushed up river stones & preserved lemons…we have a wine for you. Estero is “…not your father’s Oldsmobile.” It a Chardonnay for the doubters. A wine that calls to mind the restrained California wines of a bygone era…like those that went to the famous Paris Tasting of 1976. It resembles in many ways the Burgundian wines that inspired it–but it is decidedly, unabashedly Californian. These clusters, while harvested early to preserve natural acidity, reveal their special relationship with our Mediterranean sun. “Ripe acidity” is what we are talking about here. The kind you find a late spring Meyer lemon. No oakiness, no butter. Just a chiseled, mouthwatering, Russian River white wine. A selection of premier RRV vineyards compose this wine including Butch Cameron, Teac Mor, & Goldridge. All sites situated 8-10 miles from the coast in gravelly loam & sandstone soils known as Goldridge. Clonal material based on Old Wente & Clone 4. This growing region distinguished by its proximity to the cold Pacific Ocean & its complex relationship to the Russian River.

AROMA
wet hay, Thai basil leaf, nectarine pit

FLAVOR
lime leaf, star fruit, rock salt

PAIRINGS
Dungeness crab, Oysters Rockefeller, mac ‘n’ cheese

Demuth Vineyard, Anderson Valley Chardonnay

A mountain top vineyard at 1600 feet looking down on the Anderson Valley. Dry-farmed, Wente clone chardonnay planted on 1982 AXR-1 roots. Soil type is shallow layer of clay on top of fractured rock. Intense daily temperature fluctuations of 40 degrees. Extreme climate produces late harvest dates (often weeks later than valley floor) and naturally low yields.

AROMA
mustard seed, quartz, tangerine oil

FLAVOR
white peach pit, sunflower seed, quinine

FOOD PAIRINGS
sweet shrimp, latkehs, boudin blanc

La Marisma Vineyard, Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay

A southwest facing, hillside vineyard tucked into an ocean-cooled valley near the town of Aptos, six miles from the Pacific. Mount Eden selection chardonnay planted in 1998. Soil type is a deep alluvial fan of sand & calcareous marine deposits with excellent drainage. Reliable morning fog results in daily temperature fluctuations of 40+ degrees. The pattern of fog/sun/fog ensures proper vine respiration & very even ripening.

AROMA
key lime, lemongrass, graham cracker

FLAVOR
lemon bar, white tea, saline

FOOD PAIRINGS
scallop crudo, ono tacos, chicken picata

Howard Family Vineyard, Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay

This choice little “home vineyard” is tucked into a fog-choked valley four miles from the cold Pacific Ocean. It grows on colluvial soils of golden sand and calcareous deposits. Clonal material is Old Wente planted in the early 1970s. This uniquely temperate region is defined by its relationship to the sea, reliable fog, and coastal redwoods.

AROMA
starfruit, chalk, green papaya

FLAVOR
pineapple rind, crushed stone, pain au levain

FOOD PAIRINGS
ham + gruyere bread pudding, tuna fish salad w/ sesame oil, scalloped potatoes

Chuy Vineyard, Sonoma Valley Chardonnay

Sitting at 1000 feet above the Sonoma Valley, the Chuy Vineyard was planted in 1964 by legendary viticulturist Jesus “Chuy” Ordaz. Situated on a band of rocky, low nutrient soils with little to no water. The dry-farmed, head-trained Wente clone vines are known for tiny grape yields derived from “chicks & hens” (irregular clusters). Farming grapes here is difficult but the rewards are the long-lived, soil-driven wines that endure.

AROMA
bosc pear, hazelnut, mustard seed

FLAVOR
lemon cream, golden apple, crushed chalk

FOOD PAIRINGS
boudin blanc, chicken liver terrine, white pizza

Skycrest Vineyard, Anderson Valley Chardonnay

This elusive vineyard is pitched along a series of ridge lines at 2500′ in bucolic Anderson Valley. Its tough mountainous soils range from grey shale to decomposed sandstone with veins of quartz crystal. The clonal material differs by block—this wine is a blend of Clones 72 + 4. This eastern edge of the valley is subject to extreme temperature swings, late flowering, and naturally low yields.

AROMA
pineapple, matchstick, white flower

FLAVOR
lemon drops, quartz, underripe peach

FOOD PAIRINGS
seared scallops w/ lime zest, potato chips w/ crema + caviar, Taleggio frittata

Tidal Break Vineyard, Sonoma Coast Chardonnay

A deep coastal site in the lee of a forbidden Buddhist monastery. Soil is strewn with luminescent blue volcanic rock and sandstone. Steep and angular with multiple aspects—all of them lashed by fog and ocean-born wind. Clones 76 and 4 planted in 1999 and farmed Certified Sustainable. The North American plate is colliding with the San Andreas Fault creating an uplift soil that is unique in all the world, and well suited for viticulture.

AROMA
brie rind, lilac, underripe pear

FLAVOR
golden apple, seashell, cilantro

FOOD PAIRINGS
crab Louie, scallop crudo, lemon thyme risotto

Kimari Vineyard, Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay

This choice little "home vineyard" is tucked into a fog-choked valley four miles from the cold Pacific Ocean. It grows on colluvial soils of golden sand and calcareous deposits. Clonal material is Old Wente, planted in the mid-1980s at <600ft. elevation. This uniquely temperate region is defined by its relationship to the sea, reliable fog, and coastal redwoods. The vineyard was recently acquired by the Novick family and is managed by local legend, Prudy Foxx.

This sweet little home vineyard in Aptos-Corralitos is now under new ownership. Kim and Air Novick, and their star viticulturalist (and LIOCO conspirator) Prudy Foxx, are making all the right moves. Amending depleted soil, trimming back the encroaching forest, converting everything to biodynamic farming. They have even planted a vine nursery and plan to do selection massale. Their 1970s planting of dry-farmed, old Wente Chardonnay is one of the oldest plantings in the SCM AVA and preserving these old vines is well worth the efforts. There are few places as difficult to farm organically as a damp site 4-miles from a restless sea. It will seemingly always be a race to achieve ripeness here before the botrytis sets in, but tasting the last couple of vintages of this wine determines us. This wine is all about laser beams.

AROMA
lemon curds, cotton blossom, wet sand

FLAVOR
lemongrass, cracked corriander, Himalayan rock salt

FOOD PAIRINGS
lemon saffron risotto, fried Haddock sandwich, cauliflower soup

Casa Seca Vineyard, Russian River Valley Chardonnay

We’ll never forget the day we got a hand-written postcard from Eva Dehlinger. She inquired if we’d be interested in a new project she and her family were managing. The Vineyard was sandwiched between Kistler and Dehlinger on Vine Hill Rd., and was planted in the 1980s on rare 8X8' spacing on AXR-1 rootstock. Yep, interested! We named our block Casa Seca, or "dry house" after the 1880's brick apple kiln still looming over the vines. We picked at 21.7º brix and bottled a wine with white stone fruit, brioche, tangerine oil, cracked wheat, & mineral. Serve with lobster pot pie.

Demuth Vineyard, Anderson Valley Chardonnay

A mountain top vineyard at 1600 feet looking down on the Anderson Valley. Dry-farmed, Wente clone chardonnay planted on 1982 AXR-1 roots. Soil type is shallow layer of clay on top of fractured rock. Intense daily temperature fluctuations of 40 degrees. Extreme climate produces late harvest dates (often weeks later than valley floor) and naturally low yields.

AROMA
mustard seed, quartz, tangerine oil

FLAVOR
white peach pit, sunflower seed, quinine

FOOD PAIRINGS
sweet shrimp, latkehs, boudin blanc

Demuth Vineyard, Anderson Valley Chardonnay

A mountain top vineyard at 1600 feet looking down on the Anderson Valley. Dry-farmed, Wente clone chardonnay planted on 1982 AXR-1 roots. Soil type is shallow layer of clay on top of fractured rock. Intense daily temperature fluctuations of 40 degrees. Extreme climate produces late harvest dates (often weeks later than valley floor) and naturally low yields.

AROMA
mustard seed, quartz, tangerine oil

FLAVOR
white peach pit, sunflower seed, quinine

FOOD PAIRINGS
sweet shrimp, latkehs, boudin blanc

Demuth Vineyard, Anderson Valley Chardonnay

A mountain top vineyard at 1600 feet looking down on the Anderson Valley. Dry-farmed, Wente clone chardonnay planted on 1982 AXR-1 roots. Soil type is shallow layer of clay on top of fractured rock. Intense daily temperature fluctuations of 40 degrees. Extreme climate produces late harvest dates (often weeks later than valley floor) and naturally low yields.

AROMA
mustard seed, quartz, tangerine oil

FLAVOR
white peach pit, sunflower seed, quinine

FOOD PAIRINGS
sweet shrimp, latkehs, boudin blanc

Demuth Vineyard, Anderson Valley Chardonnay

A mountain top vineyard at 1600 feet looking down on the Anderson Valley. Dry-farmed, Wente clone chardonnay planted on 1982 AXR-1 roots. Soil type is shallow layer of clay on top of fractured rock. Intense daily temperature fluctuations of 40 degrees. Extreme climate produces late harvest dates (often weeks later than valley floor) and naturally low yields.

AROMA
mustard seed, quartz, tangerine oil

FLAVOR
white peach pit, sunflower seed, quinine

FOOD PAIRINGS
sweet shrimp, latkehs, boudin blanc

Demuth Vineyard, Anderson Valley Chardonnay

A mountain top vineyard at 1600 feet looking down on the Anderson Valley. Dry-farmed, Wente clone chardonnay planted on 1982 AXR-1 roots. Soil type is shallow layer of clay on top of fractured rock. Intense daily temperature fluctuations of 40 degrees. Extreme climate produces late harvest dates (often weeks later than valley floor) and naturally low yields.

AROMA
mustard seed, quartz, tangerine oil

FLAVOR
white peach pit, sunflower seed, quinine

FOOD PAIRINGS
sweet shrimp, latkehs, boudin blanc

Demuth Vineyard, Anderson Valley Chardonnay

A mountain top vineyard at 1600 feet looking down on the Anderson Valley. Dry-farmed, Wente clone chardonnay planted on 1982 AXR-1 roots. Soil type is shallow layer of clay on top of fractured rock. Intense daily temperature fluctuations of 40 degrees. Extreme climate produces late harvest dates (often weeks later than valley floor) and naturally low yields.

AROMA
mustard seed, quartz, tangerine oil

FLAVOR
white peach pit, sunflower seed, quinine

FOOD PAIRINGS
sweet shrimp, latkehs, boudin blanc

Demuth Vineyard, Anderson Valley Chardonnay

A mountain top vineyard at 1600 feet looking down on the Anderson Valley. Dry-farmed, Wente clone chardonnay planted on 1982 AXR-1 roots. Soil type is shallow layer of clay on top of fractured rock. Intense daily temperature fluctuations of 40 degrees. Extreme climate produces late harvest dates (often weeks later than valley floor) and naturally low yields.

AROMA
mustard seed, quartz, tangerine oil

FLAVOR
white peach pit, sunflower seed, quinine

FOOD PAIRINGS
sweet shrimp, latkehs, boudin blanc

Demuth Vineyard, Anderson Valley Chardonnay

A mountain top vineyard at 1600 feet looking down on the Anderson Valley. Dry-farmed, Wente clone chardonnay planted on 1982 AXR-1 roots. Soil type is shallow layer of clay on top of fractured rock. Intense daily temperature fluctuations of 40 degrees. Extreme climate produces late harvest dates (often weeks later than valley floor) and naturally low yields.

AROMA
mustard seed, quartz, tangerine oil

FLAVOR
white peach pit, sunflower seed, quinine

FOOD PAIRINGS
sweet shrimp, latkehs, boudin blanc

Demuth Vineyard, Anderson Valley Chardonnay

A mountain top vineyard at 1600 feet looking down on the Anderson Valley. Dry-farmed, Wente clone chardonnay planted on 1982 AXR-1 roots. Soil type is shallow layer of clay on top of fractured rock. Intense daily temperature fluctuations of 40 degrees. Extreme climate produces late harvest dates (often weeks later than valley floor) and naturally low yields.

AROMA
mustard seed, quartz, tangerine oil

FLAVOR
white peach pit, sunflower seed, quinine

FOOD PAIRINGS
sweet shrimp, latkehs, boudin blanc

Demuth Vineyard, Anderson Valley Chardonnay

A mountain top vineyard at 1600 feet looking down on the Anderson Valley. Dry-farmed, Wente clone chardonnay planted on 1982 AXR-1 roots. Soil type is shallow layer of clay on top of fractured rock. Intense daily temperature fluctuations of 40 degrees. Extreme climate produces late harvest dates (often weeks later than valley floor) and naturally low yields.

AROMA
mustard seed, quartz, tangerine oil

FLAVOR
white peach pit, sunflower seed, quinine

FOOD PAIRINGS
sweet shrimp, latkehs, boudin blanc

Lolonis Vineyard, Redwood Valley Sauvignon Blanc

This historic Prohibition-era ranch boasts some of the oldest known Vitis vinifera plantings in California. The Sauvignon Blanc was planted in 1945. The vines are head-trained and dry-farmed organically on red clay soils strewn with fist-sized rocks. An extreme diurnal shift necessitates longer hang times (and a steady temperament). The vineyard is overseen by the capable Athan Poulos.

AROMA
white grapefruit, tarragon, talc

FLAVOR
lemon drop, kumquat, oat

FOOD PAIRINGS
cheve, crab Louis, amberjack crudo

Lolonis Vineyard, Redwood Valley Old Vine White

This historic Prohibition-era ranch boasts some of California’s oldest known Vitis vinifera plantings. The vines are head-trained and dry-farmed organically on red clay soils strewn with fist-sized rocks. An extreme diurnal shift necessitates longer hang times (and a steady temperament). The vineyard is overseen by husband/wife duo Denise and Athan Poulos. This Old Vine White was driven forward by our curiosity about what would happen if we blended up the oldest living SB and Semillon in North America with some old vine Chardonnay from a proximate block.

AROMA
kiwi, cilantro, beeswax

FLAVOR
peach fuzz, lemon bars, white tea

FOOD PAIRINGS
yellowtail sashimi, latke w/ crème fraiche, spring pea pappardelle

Kick-on Ranch, Santa Barbara Gruner Veltliner

Kick-on Ranch is 14-miles from the Pacific Ocean in the East/West running Los Alamos Valley. Cold ocean breezes ensure slow and even ripening. Soils are grey sandy loam, low in nutrients and producing lower yielding vines. Grüner material is Davis Clone 1 and was grafted in 2012 onto some Pinot Gris vines (planted in 2000 on 101 –14 rootstock). Our section of the vineyard is farmed organically.

AROMA
granny smith apple, white flower, green tea

FLAVOR
lime leaf, rock salt, spiced apple

FOOD PAIRINGS
scallop ceviche, grilled spot prawns, abalone

Demuth Vineyard, Anderson Valley Chardonnay

A mountain top vineyard at 1600 feet looking down on the Anderson Valley. Dry-farmed, Wente clone chardonnay planted on 1982 AXR-1 roots. Soil type is shallow layer of clay on top of fractured rock. Intense daily temperature fluctuations of 40 degrees. Extreme climate produces late harvest dates (often weeks later than valley floor) and naturally low yields.

AROMA
mustard seed, quartz, tangerine oil

FLAVOR
white peach pit, sunflower seed, quinine

FOOD PAIRINGS
sweet shrimp, latkehs, boudin blanc

Caleta, Santa Cruz Mountains Syrah

A hidden vineyard, tucked in a foggy canyon, just 4 miles east of and 600ft. above the sea. Syrah clones Estrella and Syrah Noir planted in the late 1990s. Soil is a deep colluvial fan of sand and calcareous marine deposits with excellent drainage. Farmed by Prudy Foxx, aka “the Vine Whisperer.” Caleta will never be an every-year thing, but a welcome addition to our cellar on those vintages with drier, warmer springs when fruit set can occur.

AROMA
green peppercorn, jerky, raspberry pastille

FLAVOR
blackberry leaf, graphite, black plum

FOOD PAIRINGS
anchovy-rubbed lamb chops, smash burgers, buffalo meatballs

Rosé of Carignan, Mendocino County

From a mid-century planting of dry-farmed, head-trained Carignan. A severe diurnal shift supports gradual and often late ripening. The soil is red clay strewn with fist sized rocks. The combination of vine age, extended growing season, and tougher soil conspire to produce a rosé with great freshness and complexity.

AROMA
cilantro, fresh-picked strawberry, rhubarb

FLAVOR
watermelon juice, seashell, white grapefruit

PAIRINGS
guacamole + chips, shrimp in olive oil + lemon, beet-cured lox

Ojo de Perdiz, Cole Ranch Vineyard, Cole Ranch Rosé

From the Teac Mor vineyard—a biodynamic ranch 8 miles from the Pacific in the Laguna de Santa Rosa watershed. There are five unique soil types here, the result of volcanic activity and thousands of years of river flow. This unique site is defined by its proximity to the sea, soil diversity, and active biome. Ojo is a blend of 2/3 Pinot Noir and 1/3 Chardonnay.

AROMA
pink guava, white grapefruit, bay laurel

FLAVOR
watermelon rind, rosewater, wet stone

FOOD PAIRINGS
salmon w/ green sauce, wild mushroom quesadilla, gumbo

Demuth Vineyard, Anderson Valley Chardonnay

A mountain top vineyard at 1600 feet looking down on the Anderson Valley. Dry-farmed, Wente clone chardonnay planted on 1982 AXR-1 roots. Soil type is shallow layer of clay on top of fractured rock. Intense daily temperature fluctuations of 40 degrees. Extreme climate produces late harvest dates (often weeks later than valley floor) and naturally low yields.

AROMA
mustard seed, quartz, tangerine oil

FLAVOR
white peach pit, sunflower seed, quinine

FOOD PAIRINGS
sweet shrimp, latkehs, boudin blanc

Lost Slough Vineyard, Clarksburg Cortese

The Lost Slough Vineyard in Yolo County sits in the heart of the Clarksburg AVA. It is planted below sea level (!) on the black peat soils of the California Delta, to the east of the San Francisco Bay. An advanced levee system here holds back the vast tidal river waters. This interior zone sees hot days and cold nights which quickly ripens the fruit and invites earlier harvest dates. The vineyard is under the direction of Steve Matthiasson who is
farming it with no herbicides or pesticides.

At LIOCO, we are not shy about our love of Italian wine. We began our respective wine careers selling Italian wine, and really never stopped pursuing it as both a hobby and source of inspiration for LIOCO. While the focus of the winery has long been on French varieties, we keep the door open to exciting new discoveries, whatever they may be. When our 2022 Grüner Veltliner grapes were compromised by the intense Labor Day Weekend heat (and rain that followed), we went looking for a temporary stand-in. We needed a wine that served a similar function in our tasting room: crisp, crushable, affordable, with a story worthy of the LIOCO label. What we found was this Cortese from a vineyard way off the map in the middle of the Sacramento delta. The fact that our friend Steve Matthiasson was involved in farming the vineyard cemented the deal for us. The fruit came in on one hot September day and pressing it gave us all a thrill as the winery filled up with exciting aromatics never experienced before. This wine was one of the standout surprises of the vintage.

AROMA
peach pit, riverstone, honeysuckle

FLAVOR
apricot, clover, chalk

FOOD PAIRINGS
olive oil poached branzino, calamari salad, ricotta ravioli

Indica, Mendocino County Red Table Wine

We first put a Carignan to bottle in 2006--a blend of old vine Carignan and Petite Sirah--at a time few had ever heard of this grape. In 2019, we allocated some fruit from each of the historic Mendocino ranches we've long sourced from— Lolonis (circa 1942), McCutchen (circa 1960s), and Bartolomei (circa 1940s)--and blended up a more complex version of Indica. This is no carbonic hipster juice, but rather a serious red table wine more akin to Gigondas or Cru Beaujolais. Mostly Carignan with a few barrels of Valdiguie blended in to tweak the pleasure dial, this bottle is always early to empty at neighborhood BBQs.

AROMA
blueberry compote, dried rosemary, iron

FLAVOR
plum skin, granite, black raspberry

FOOD PAIRINGS
BBQ spare ribs, salsiccia pizza, grilled flank steak