2018 Russian River Old Vine Colombard

VINEYARD All the sources of our 2018 Colombard bottling come from exceptional sites worthy of the “Old Vine” designation. The Betty Ann Vineyard Colombard (15%) is a site that has been lovingly restored by Clark and Bonny Lystra. After purchasing the historic Santa Rosa property and recognizing a scattered, untended vineyard of old vines, the Lystra’s set about learning the heritage of these vines and discovered through county records that their diminutive and now resuscitated vines date back to at least 1902. The Wes Cameron Vineyard (85%), originally planted in the mid-1800s, has an even deeper history in Sonoma County viticulture. Butch Cameron has single-handedly been leading the renaissance of Colombard in Sonoma County, steadfastly refusing to uproot this varietal to more fashionable grapes and instead committing to continue farming Colombard, with this block’s grape contribution from circa 1960.

HARVEST The 2018 vintage was sandwiched between two disastrous ﬁre years for California. Colombard in Sonoma County is one of the last ripening varietals in this cool climate, and this vintage was no exception. As Butch Cameron so accurately put it, “We just wait until we can’t wait anymore, with rains determining the last date we can pick”.

FERMENTATION AND AGEING Fermentation was done in a cement “egg” at Single Thread Farms and conducted uninoculated and with no additions until bottling, when a small dose of sulfur was added. Sulfur has been used since ancient Roman times as a natural antioxidant, and the wine’s levels are well below even stringent organic wine standards. This wine was aged on the fermentation lees in the concrete egg fermenter for 11 months before bottling unﬁned and unﬁltered.

TASTING NOTES Notes of white peach, honeysuckle and green apples on the nose with crisp stone fruit, citrus and fresh acidity that lingers on the palate. Pair this wine with Miso marinated Black Cod, oysters or a spicy Thai curry.

TECHNICAL DATA ○ Appellation: Russian River Valley ○ Residual sugar: Dry (<0.1%) ○ 35 cases produced ○ 11.8% alcohol by volume ○ pH: 3.21 | TA: 7.7 g/L ○ SRP: $28/bottle

ABOUT MARCHELLE Marchelle is focused on creating a voice for rare and unique old vine grape varietals and is a labor of love for winemaker, Greg La Follette and partner, Kevin Lee. The name is born from combining the names of their wives “Mara” and “Michelle”. Who without their love and support this endeavor of passion would not have come about. Marchelle is dedicated to sourcing from growers who practice sustainable farming and many who have worked with Greg for decades and are considered more like family than suppliers.