Birichino - Besson Vineyard - Grenache Old Vines 2021
Birichino is located in Santa Cruz, California in the United States . The estate was founded in 2008 by Alex Krause and John Locke after 40 years of winemaking experience in California, France, Italy and elsewhere. They source from a number of family vineyards planted in the 19th and early 20th century, carefully cultivated in more moderate, marine-influenced climates. Their preference is for minimal intervention, most often favoring fermentations with indigenous yeasts, using neutral barrels or stainless steel vats, minimal racking and fining, completely avoiding filtration when possible. They work nine vineyards: Antle, Bechthold, Besson, Boer, Enz, Jurassic Park, Lilo, Oasis and Peter Martin Ray.
George Besson 's late father, George Sr., purchased the Grenache-planted vineyard and farmed it just after World War II on a slightly north-facing rocky slope. These unirrigated vineyards, planted on their own roots in 1910, are located a short distance from the start of the Santa Cruz Mountains. The harvest is manual and the bunches are kept whole. A part of the grapes (10%) undergoes the " apassimento " method where the bunches are left to dry in a ventilated room for about ten days. The aging is carried out in neutral barrels and cement vats for 12 months.
Grape variety: 100% Grenache