Scythian Wine Co. (A Chingao Vineyards Rajat Parr & Envinate) - Misturado de Cucamonga 2022 750ml (13% ABV)

Scythian Wine Co. is a new project from sommelier-turned-vigneron Raj Parr that highlights the nearly lost viticultural heritage of Los Angeles. Before prohibition, the city was the center of the California wine industry, producing highly regarded wines from varieties like Palomino, Mission, Garnacha Tintorera and Zinfandel planted on sandy soils. A few of these own-rooted, dry-farmed, vineyards endure, largely due to the stewardship of the Galleano family. With a few collaborators, Raj Parr started exploring, then rehabilitating, some of the most interesting plots of these vines in 2019. The vineyards are relics, sandwiched between warehouses, corporate headquarters, neighborhoods and highways around Los Angeles County. The vines are almost all over 100-years-old, and none of the vineyards have ever been treated with pesticides fungicides, or even sulfur or copper. From these marvels of endurance and survival, Raj makes low-intervention wines in a small cellar near Boyle Heights, working with minimal additives and neutral vessels. The Scythian Wine Company wines are a fascinating opportunity to taste a fundamentally different side of the history of California wine.

 wild & ripe, pure expressions, bramble, praline, freshly picked ripe red & black berries, juicy but dry

region: central coast, ca 

varietal(s): 20% Zinfandel, 30% Palomino, 50% Alicante Bouschet

style: west coast red 

farming/cellar: . The Palomino and Zinfandel are from the Lopez Vineyard in San Bernardino, while the Alicante comes from the Galleano Home Vineyard in Jurupa Valley. Both vineyards are composed of own-rooted vines planted in 1912 that are dry farmed and never sprayed or treated in any way. The grapes were harvested by hand and cofermented whole cluster in open-top neutral fermenters, then aged in a 1000L foudre. Bottled without fining, filtering, or added sulfur.

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