2017 Subject to Change Sunhawk Red Blend
2017 Subject to Change Sunhawk Red Blend
Region: Mendocino County < California
Grapes: Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre, Counoise, Roussanne, Zinfandel, Cabernet, Viognier, Picpoul Blanc and Muscat
Vineyard/Cellar Stats: Demeter certified biodynamic farming, each varietal picked separately (when ripe), then foot trod and left on skins for 24 hours before being pressed and then transferred to neutral French oak barrels for fermentation and a 5-month elevage; bottled unfined/unfiltered with no added SO2; 206 cases produced, 12% Alcohol.
Winemaker: Alex Pomerantz + Brad Friedman
We love the newish Cali-natty wines from my good friend Alex Pomerantz (formerly of Sonoma’s Kivelstadt Cellars) and his partner, Brad Friedman, formerly assistant winemaker at Santa Cruz’s Big Basin. They’ve been around for around 9 months but are so busy trucking grapes and making wine that they still haven’t had time to develop real branding or labels, hence the name of their project, Subject to Change… This new release is kind of like a beefed-up version of the juicy Carbonic Red that we featured in December. Hailing from a biodynamically farmed vineyard on the very top of a pretty hill overlooking the town of Hopland in Mendocino County, this wine is comprised of a mix of red and white grapes that grow happily together. Following an old European (mostly French) tradition, Alex and Brad co-ferment everything together, as mixing in a small amount of white juice with red boosts the wine’s aromas and adds a freshness to the palate. We love its chillable, quaffable side and also its more nuanced side, expressing both the exuberance of berry and stone fruit from the Rhone varietals along with lovely herb and sage-y note to round out the finish. Would be fab with your end of summer tomato dishes or zucchini and herb frittata, but also excellent on its own for pre- or post-dinner sipping.