Birdhorse Wines - Verdelho Contra Costa County 2023 750ml (12.1% abv)
- Evina Vineyard (Contra Costa County AVA)
- Planted in early 2000s from suitcase cuttings brought from Portugal
- Sorrento clay loam soils
- Native yeast fermentation
- Direct press to stainless steel
- ‘Hyper-oxidized’ by pump over then transferred to neutral puncheon, neutral barrique for 4 months
- 12.3% abv
Evina vineyard, located in the town of Knightsen in Contra Costa County, 2ish miles from the San Joaquin Delta. Sits on Sorrento silty clay loam. Vines were planted in the early 2000s, from suitcase cuttings brought back to owner/farmer Tom Morgan from by his Portuguese neighbors (most of contra costa county was settled by Portuguese farmers). The vineyard was farmed (mostly) organically for much of its life, but we and the other buyers persuaded Tom to take it fully organic in 2019. Water has been sparse the past few years, so some amount of tillage and irrigation has been necessary, but both techniques are used very judiciously.
Grapes were harvested the first week in September - the latest harvest we have ever taken from this vineyard. All grapes were put direct-to-press and treated very oxidatively, with no sulfur at the press pan, and pressed to one, stainless steel tank. This juice was then hyper-oxed by pumping over once a day for 10 minutes until fermentation kicked off in tank, at which time it was put down to barrel for fermentation. The juice was split between 2 x neutral puncheons & 5 x neutral 225L barriques (this is a shift to all neutral wood, last year there was some stainless in there). These barrels fermented for approximately 4 weeks at cellar temperature to finish primary fermentation, at which time SO2 was added to arrest malolactic fermentation
All pieces of the wine were aged in barrel for 4 months, no racking or stirring, until they were blended for bottling. Sulfur was added again (judiciously) just before bottling.
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Birdhorse Wines represent the future of California winemaking—in an effort to diversify the landscape of wine in California, Winemakers Katie Rouse and Corinne Rich created Birdhorse to showcase regions, varieties, and humans that have long had a presence in this industry but have yet to be celebrated by many of its constituents. Katie and Corinne met whilst receiving their M.S in Viticulture and Enology at UC Davis. After graduating they travelled to South Africa to work the 2018 harvest at Mullineux, where they found their inspiration for Birdhorse Wines in an old vine Verdelho vineyard.
Birdhorse focuses on making compelling and balanced wines from lesser-known wine regions and uncommon varieties. Most of the grapes sourced come from warmer regions like Suisun Valley, Dry Creek Valley, Amador County, and inland Mendocino—proving that it’s possible to make restrained wines from warmer climates, something that has becoming increasingly relevant with the ever-growing changes in global climate.
When Katie and Corinne are choosing vineyard partners, farming practices are paramount. They only work with organic and sustainably grown fruit. A minimal intervention winemaking approach is employed, including native yeast ferments, no new oak use, and minimal SO2 additions. Winemaking styles that they have honed at their day jobs working at Bedrock Wine Co. and Scribe Winery, respectively. These wines are balanced, elegant and unique—a true testament to the skill and talent of the two women that make them.
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