This white blend was inspired by the wines of Northern Italy but are “strangely” suited to the spicy foods that Steve’s household craves. (Steve highly recommends trying it with Miang Kham.) About three quarters of the blend is Gewürztraminer; the other two grapes, Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc, make up 25% and 3% of the blend, respectively. All varieties came from the Protero Vineyard on Kenton Hill Road in Gumeracha. The 2023 growing season was the third year of the current La Nina cycle: cool and wet, leading to the most challenging growing season in living memory. High winter rainfall continued through spring, delaying budbreak and shoot growth. Unusual soil moisture made spraying and mid row management a challenge. Thankfully, a dry, mild summer followed, but the die was cast, and harvest was one of the latest on record. Low crops with long hang times was not common, however these contradictory conditions did result in elegance and great flavor. This was a year that relied on attention to detail in vineyard to make great wine.
The Gewürztraminer was settled as juice and held in tank. When the Riesling arrived, it was gently pressed and blended with the Gewürztraminer, and again held in tank until the Sauvignon Blanc arrived. Fermentation finally began on the 1st of May and lasted 8 weeks, leaving 2g/L residual sugar. The wine was racked once with no adjustments necessary, and it was filtered and sulfured at bottling on the 13th of July, 2023.