'Wirz Vineyard' Riesling

Maidenstoen · Cienega Valley - San Luis Obispo, CA, USA

Meyer lemon and spring flowers on the nose, with hints of tarragon. The wine delivers great tension, with a persistent, dry finish. The historic Wirz Vineyard in the Gabilan Mountains in Cienega Valley AVA dates back to 1902. The Riesling vines were planted in 1964. Head trained, own rooted, and dry farmed, these are some of the oldest Riesling vines in California.

Farming
Dry farmed by Pat Wirz. Sustainable and organic practices.

Harvest Method
Hand harvest

Varietal
Riesling

Age of Vineyard
Riesling planted in 1964. This historic vineyard dates back to 1902.

Vessel
Neutral French Oak

Vineyard Yield
40 acres Riesling (total vineyard 52 acres), typically 1.5-2 tons per acre.

Soil Type
Decomposed Granite soils with Limestone belts.

Annual Production
1920 bottles

Vinification
Grapes are gently whole cluster pressed over an extended 4-hours period, allowing some oxygen exposure. SO2 is sometimes added the day of pressing, but no other additives are used. After a light-settle in tank, the juice is racked with light lees to neutral French oak for fermentation. The wine is fermented dry (at less than 2g/liter RS) and malolactic fermentation is blocked after primary fermentation. Aging continues in neutral barrel. Minimal additional SO2 is used based on Total SO2, and wines are filtered before bottling.