2020 Subject to Change 'Wild Child'
Grape: Petit Sirah, Carignane
Region: Redwood Valley AVA < Mendocino County < CA
Vineyard/cellar stats: CCOF-certified organic farming; Dorn Vineyard Carignane was foot crushed wholecluster and placed on the bottom of the stainless tank while the uncrushed whole bunch Petite Sirah was placed on top of the Carignane. We sealed the tank and took a dry-cap approach to this wine to minimize extraction (no pump overs or punchdowns for two weeks on the skins). The Upton Vineyard Petite Sirah was a true carbonic maceration in a stainless tank for two weeks. The wines were pressed separately and blended together after fermentation for 7 months in a 5,000L fiberglass tank; bottled unfined/unfiltered with no added SO2; 12.8% ABV; 500 casesWinemaker: Alex Pomerantz
We've been working with the Cali-natty wines from our friend Alex Pomerantz since he started Subject to Change a few years ago. The grapes for Wild Child come from two certified organic vineyards in the Redwood Valley. Alex loves to talk about his growers: "The Carignane comes from the Dorn Vineyard, planted in the 1960s, where Randy Dorn continues to dry-farm his 7-ish acres in the CCOF certified-organic style. And the Petite Sirah comes from Upton Vineyard, farmed by John and Jan Upton, where the 25 acres under vine were also planted in the 1960s."
Like all of Alex's wines, this baby is alive and full of energy, even a bit wild, as the name implies. Juicy, with generous red fruit, pops of tart pomegranate, plush tannins, cherry, cranberry and leather, this is a sexy wine that shines with a slight chill.