2023 Stirm "Calcite" Cienega Valley White

Calcite is the predominate geologic parent material of the soils found in the Cienega Valley. It is an ancient type of limestone which is extremely rare in California. This wine represents the typicity of this region’s alkaline soils and the dynamic of the warm day/cold night diurnal shift climate that allow the grapes to ripen and retain freshness. It is made from the two most widely planted white varieties in the Cienega Valley from vines ranging in age from 25 to 60 years old.

Riesling: Wirz Vineyard, Cienega Valley (72%)

Chardonnay: Gimelli Vineyard, Cienega Valley (12%)

Chenin Blanc: Gimelli Vineyard, Cienega Valley (16%)

The grapes were picked by hand over several passes between three different vineyards. At the winery the grapes were given 24 hours of whole cluster maceration to extract tannins, aroma, and flavor compounds in the skins (Riesling) and direct press (Chardonnay). No sulfur was added to allow the juice to oxidize. After a 36 hour cold settle in tank, the clean juice was racked off the solids to another barrels for spontaneous fermentation. The wine was sulfured post completion of secondary fermentation with elevage in barrel on fine lees. Racked off fine lees a month prior to bottling. Unfined and lightly filtered (6 microns, not sterile). 29 ppm total sulfur at bottling. Bottled June 15th, 2023. 606 cases produced.