2019 Donkey & Goat Old Vine Carignane, Mendocino, California (750ml)   

From the Producer: In our opinion, old vine Carignane is one of the many unsung grape heroes that is far too often hidden from lists of varietals, never being the star. We are among several California producers striving to highlight the beauty and versatility of varietal (old vine) Carignane at the Testa Vineyard, planted in 1912 by Gaetano & Maria Testa and farmed today by 4th generation Maria Testa & her husband Rusty.

Tasting Note: If you could bottle up the sensation of a morning walk through the forests of Mt. Tam at the end of May, in the final moments of seeing green grass, just as the ground begins to get dry and dusty and the pine needles lose their moisture…. it’d be our Old Vine Carignane. This nervy wine has great character of wild strawberries, and a cranberry juice cocktail with a hint of white pepper. As the wine opens, a subtler hint of dried wood, pink peppercorns and rosemary emerges.