Ashanta "Callisto" Pinot Noir Blanc, Round Valley, California 2022

FROM ASHANTA:

THE WINE: The Pinot Noir was gently direct pressed into stainless steel drums cutting the press the very moment any pigment began to show. Aged sur lie for 21 months with no battonage, making an elegant Pinot Noir Blanc, one of its kind from the region. Callisto Pinot Noir Blanc comes from the Parducci Lost Vineyard in Round Valley near Covelo, California. Sitting at 1,400 feet elevation, Round Valley is the only Menodcino Valley AVA with a continental climate rather than a maritime climate. The valley often sees 45+ degree diurnal shifts in the summer, with highs nearing the triple digits and lows in mid 50s. To get there, you wind through steep, narrow roads that curve alongside the Eel River, a 196 mile long river that ends in the Pacific Ocean just south of Eureka. The Eel River is the third largest watershed in California.

THE PRODUCER: Ashanta Wines abides by zero:zero, traditional winemaking practices and makes a full range of bespoke wines. From experimental multi-fruit co-ferments, Pet-Nats, skin contact whites, field blends and elegant California Reds. Our wines are terroir driven expressions of Pachamama and her seasons. Unfined. Unfiltered. Wild yeast fermentations. Zero S02. We source our fruit from family-operated vineyards and work with growers who farm with organic and/or biodynamic practices. We hand pick some of our growers’ vineyards and sometimes, we forage for wild fruit in both the wilderness and urban spaces.