AROMA: preserved plum, penicl shavings, cedar bark
FLAVOR: black raspberry, fig, lavender
FOOD PAIRINGS: carnitas, veal milanese, iberico ham
VINIFICATION: 2 tons each of Swan, 115 and 777 clones harvested on 9/19. All three clones were co-fermented on 10% whole clusters in an open-top tank with native yeasts. A 4-day cold soak preceded one daily pump-over during a 14-day fermentation. Aged for 10-months in 25% new French oak. Bottled unfined/unfiltered.
SITE: This historic vineyard sits on the south side of route 128, 11 miles from the
coast at elevations of 250-500 ft. Soils comprised of mainly decomposed
sandstone result in a struggle for nutrients and water, keeping the resulting
fruit load of the vineyard in natural balance. The first blocks were planted in
1963; ours in 2000 to clones 115, 777, and Swan. Edmeades is
quintessential Anderson Valley with densely forested rolling hills,
frequent fog, and the Navarro River running through it.
NOTES: Vintage 2024 unfolded on time, as if the season itself had been
orchestrated. Generous winter and spring rains refreshed the soils, giving
vines a deep reserve of water heading into a warm, dry flowering that
produced beautifully set clusters. Summer brought warm days and cool
nights, allowing grapes to ripen slowly while maintaining vibrant acidity, and
the absence of rain kept disease pressure low. Harvest arrived under cool,
sunny skies, enabling careful, deliberate picking at perfect maturity.
Edmeades Vineyard was LIOCO's first foray into the lower-elevation sites
(250') on the south side of Highway 128—those with more shading from
afternoon sun allowing the fruit to develop more slowly, preserving
freshness and nuance. The resulting wines carry a lower pH than those on
the hillsides across the street, and a palpable freshness and taught
structure on the palate. In 2024, we harvested all three clones (115, 777,
and Swan) on the same morning and co-fermented them with 10% whole
clusters (which was a first). The resulting wine shows layered aromatics,
supple tannins, and a natural vibrancy.
