California Stars "Fool Bloom" Sierra Foothills, California 2024

FROM SELECTION MASSALE:

THE WINE: 40% Cinsault (20 mins away from Saureel), 40% Grenache (Saureel), 20% Counoise (Fernow). Grenache and Cinsault semi carbo (7 days carbo then take out of tank to destem it), Counoise destemmed and pressed to dryness. The semi carbo helps lift aromatics without overwhelming the structure.

THE PRODUCER: Shaunt and Diego met at UC Davis but really became fast friends and partners while abroad in France staging separately in the Loire. They would meet up on weekends to have culinary adventures. Diego originally thought he would make beer but then shifted gears. Shaunt started off as a chemistry student but didn’t want to go into academia or research. Eventually he ended up making wine and his mentor pushed him to go to school, which suited his academic side. The rest is history. After setting up shop in California, the duo decided to lease vineyards but remain very hands on about farming. Currently they work with about 45 acres total and have collaborated with the same team for pruning and harvesting for the past five years or so. One tactic has been to source grapes from people they want to learn from– for instance, Larry Venturi. They’ve been able to convert quite a few conventionally farmed vineyards and begin working with them as well. Shaunt and Diego don’t buy grapes in Napa and Sonoma (too expensive), but they’re making serious wines that are akin to ones you find from that area, just sourced elsewhere.