Scheurebe
2023, St.Helena, Napa Valley, USA
Scheurebe
Silvaner (Sylvaner)
Matthiasson Wines
About the Wine
Our friend Scott Schultz of Jolie Laide Winery called Steve with a proposition: he had discovered an old-vine Scheurebe vineyard in St. Helena (planted in the early 1970s), farmed organically, and could take half the fruit if we could take the other half. It would be the last harvest before the vineyard was removed. We harvested the grapes very early (19 brix) to capture the quickly diminishing acidity, and whole-cluster pressed the fruit similar to how one would press Champagne. After settling in tank for 24 hours, we tasted the juice, and it was already so aromatic that we decided to ferment in tank rather than in barrel. This allowed us to ferment more warmly (low 80s) to allow the fermentation to blow off some of the tropical character and release more of the underlying minerality. For us, winemaking is all about balance, there is no recipe. To keep the wine bright and zesty we moved the wine to stainless steel barrels, and blocked Malo-lactic fermentation.
Tasting Notes
The nose explodes with passionfruit and guava, followed by a light and easy mid-palate and a mineral finish. The wines are lower in acid than Riesling and earlier ripening. The aromatics are incredible, explosive, and exotic.
Pairing Notes
Pasta with basil pesto Arugula salad with prosciutto, peaches, and mozzarella