Contra Costa Carignane 2019
A full-bodied natural red wine that is berrylicious, with notes of cocoa, well-balanced acidity, and medium tannins. Has a slightly spicy and oaked finish! Only 72 cases made!
Tasting Notes: Dark cherries, black currants, earthy notes, and hints of cocoa!
Pairing Suggestions: Moroccan Lamb Meatballs, Umami Braise-Roasted Turkey, Dark Chocolates
Contra Costa County, USA
Type: Red | Vintage: 2019 | Sulfur: Minimal | Varietal: Carignan | Alcohol: 14.5% | Production: Organic | Style: Complex
Producer Profile
Testa Vineyard is located in Calpella, California in the Redwood Valley of Mendocino County. This beautiful ranch was founded in 1912 and is being farmed by the 4th and 5th generation of the Testa (Martinson) family. The head trained vines are planted on rolling hills in rocky, red, well drained soils composed of sandy and pebbly loam. The Carignane, Petite Sirah, Zinfandel, and Grenache for Post & Vine were planted in the 1950’s and are dry farmed resulting in small clusters of concentrated, complex fruit. -Post & Vine
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About Natural Wine
Great question! There are a lot of definitions for natural wine with the main term you'll hear being that it has had minimal intervention. To be more specific, our definition is that the wine must first be sustainably farmed, which typically means it was organically or biodynamically farmed.
Then, in the cellar the natural winemaking process has some differences as well! The wine is typically unfined, unfiltered, and goes through spontaneous fermentation with native yeasts. If you want to know more about what natural wine is, we have an entire guide under our reference section!
The short answer is that natural wine can taste like any other kind of conventional wine (we like to call these stealth natural wines) or it can taste quite a bit different, as production methods can vary and potentially be lighter, or in a style you've never had before (like orange, pet-nat or amphora).
The natural wine community is also more accepting of some qualities in wines that conventional would consider a flaw, like Brett, some oxidation, or volatile acidity. We would consider these in high amounts to also be a flaw, but in many cases a touch of these qualities can ultimately improve their flavor and texture and be happily accepted in a natural wine.
To find out more about what natural wine tastes like, check out our full blog and podcast on the topic here.
The short answer is, no! But many are. Glou-glou describes winesthat are easily chuggable, impossible to put the glass down, and seductively delicious! They tend to be young and fresh, designed to be drunk early with an average ABV of around 10%. Check out different styles or glou glou natural wine here on our site.