Martha Stoumen "Honeymoon" Mendocino County, California 2022

FROM MARTHA STOUMEN:

THE WINE: 55% Colombard, 45% Chardonnay. The star of our Honeymoon is the 70+ year-old Colombard from the dry-farmed, head-trained vines at Ricetti Vineyard. When young, Colombard can throw a large crop and has largely been written off as a blending/filler grape, or has been used traditionally for distillation into cognac. However, with old vine age, dry farming, and by allowing a long hang time, Colombard can be as complex as its parent, Chenin blanc. The Honeymoon, to me, is always a layered wine, where I try to achieve some tertiary characteristics alongside brightness and fruit. Barrel fermentation, lees contact, and longer elevage to achieve these layers once again. Alongside Ricetti Vineyard Colombard, Honeymoon 2022 features dry-farmed, organic Chardonnay from nearby Hawkeye Ranch. Though not quite “old-vine” yet, these massive bilateral cordon-trained vines planted in the 1970s are farmed organically by Pete Johnson and family, 5th generation grape and pear growingers, and well positioned for many years of production ahead.

THE PRODUCER: Martha Stoumen Wines was founded upon the desire to recapture a farming and winemaking culture that has all but faded away: a winemaking culture of patience. After 8 years apprenticing around the world, Martha set out as a self-funded, first generation winemaker to answer the question, “What does California taste like?” In our hot little corner of Northern California, Mediterranean grapes thrive and healthy vineyards allow us to create joyful balanced wines. Our wines are made from unexpected varietals and offer new takes on California classics. We do things the right way even if it's not the easy or cool way. Of the nearly two dozen wines we make every year, blends and flavors change but our desire to share the simple pleasures of natural wine remains the same.