Margins Wine, Négrette 2021, Calleri Vineyard, Tres Pinos, San Benito County, Central Valley, CA

This light and tart minimal-skin contact Négrette has aromas of black plum and tobacco, and is savory on the palate. 

COUNTRY: USA

STATE: California

APPELLATION (AVA): San Benito County

REGION: Central Valley

SUBREGION: Tres Pinos

VINEYARD: Calleri Vineyard

VINTAGE: 2021

GRAPES: 100% Negrette

SOIL: Loam

PRACTICE: Organic

VINIFICATION: 100% destemmed. Soaked on skins overnight and pressed the next day. Aged in neutral oak for nine months. Native fermentation, no fining, no filtration, no other modifications or additions except 20 ppm of sulfur dioxide the week before bottling.

STYLE: Still

COLOR: Pale garnet

BODY: Light bodied

TASTE: Dry

TANNINS: Light

PRIMARY AROMAS: Black plum, black strawberry, tobacco, bong

FLAVOR: Tart, savory, animal

FORMAT: 750 ml

ALCOHOL: 11.8%

SERVICE AND FOOD PAIRING SUGGESTION: Pair with beef jerky or savory, stinky cheeses.

PRODUCTION: 74 cases produced

ABOUT THE WINEMAKER: Megan Bell

“Margins is a winemaking endeavor of Megan Bell, a winemaker living and working in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Prior to settling on the central coast of California, Megan received her BS in Viticulture and Enology from UC Davis in 2012 and apprenticed in wineries and vineyards in Napa, the Livermore Valley, the Willamette Valley, Central Otago (NZ), and the Loire Valley (France).  She started Margins in 2016 with a modest crowdfunding campaign to create eight barrels of Chenin blanc. Margins now produces ~2400 cases total of 20+ wines per year.” (marginwines.com)

ABOUT THE VINEYARD: Calleri Vineyard

“Calleri Vineyard is farmed by John Siletto, whose late father Ron Siletto was an integral figure in the history of San Benito County viticulture. The Silettos have been farming in the region for the past 30 years and now manage a total of 125 acres with over 30 planted varieties, most of them Italian and French varietals rarely seen in this country. All their acreage is currently in its second year of organic conversion with a goal of certification.” (marginswine.com)

ABOUT THE LABEL: Label art by Buddy Whisler.

ABOUT NÉGRETTE: Négrette is a red grape from Southwest France near Toulouse. In California, it was known as Pinot St-George until 1997.