Lo-Fi  Wines, Mencia 2021, Riverbench Vineyard, Santa Maria Valley, Central Coast, CA

It’s rare to see a Mencia outside of Spain or Portugal, but this California red is co-fermented with 15% Arinto grapes to give a funky but fresh wine.

COUNTRY: United State of America (USA)

STATE: CA

APPELLATION (AVA): Santa Maria Valley

REGION: Central Coast

SUBREGION: Santa Barbara County

VINEYARD: Riverbench (Foxen Canyon Road)

SOIL: Rocky, clay, silt, sand, and gravel

VINTAGE: 2021

GRAPES: 85% Mencia, 15% Arinto

PRACTICE: Low intervention

VINIFICATION: 100% destemmed, co-fermented in stainless steel, aged 6 months in 100% neutral French oak

STYLE: Still

COLOR: Vivid purple

BODY: Medium (5-6)

TASTE: Dry

PRIMARY AROMAS: Pomegranate, violets, purple sage, strawberry, peppercorns, black currants

FLAVOR: Funky & earthy, pleasant acidity

FORMAT: 750 ml

ALCOHOL: 11.5%

SERVICE AND SUGGESTION: Enjoy paired with richer white meat like turkey pork, or cured, peppery meats like pastrami.

ABOUT THE PRODUCER: 
Lo-Fi is a partnership between two lifelong friends who believe in hand crafted honest wines that are made for every day drinking. Wines to be enjoyed not to be collected. Easy drinking lower alcohol wines made to pair well with all types of foods, from pizza to paté.
We believe in neutral barrels, native yeasts, little to no sulfur additions, and no adjustment of pH. We love whole cluster fermentation. We adore carbonic maceration . We embrace a nothing added, nothing taken away philosophy that gives birth to wines that are young, vibrant and alive.
But in all reality Lo-Fi is less about what it is and more about what it is not.
It is not over manipulated. It is not over extracted. It is not over ripe and it is not over priced.

ABOUT THE VINEYARD: 
Old vineyard down the road from the winery. A 1.5 acre parcel of vines planted in the 90’s was rebudded to Arinto and Mencia 2017 making ‘21 the second bearing year. Cool growing area on former riverbed with a mix of sandy loam and Chemise shaley loam