DeSante Old Vines White Field Blend 2019

Most vineyards in Napa Valley are neat rows of trellised vines. Not this one. This is a meandering time capsule — a collection of head-trained heritage varieties dry-farmed without conventional agrichemicals since the mid-1940s. The youngest vines are 70+ years old, many exceeding 90, and the only inputs are dried sea kelp, lavender soap, olive oil, and garlic extracts. The result is a wine that is truly unusual, and genuinely rare.

Exotic aromas of apple tarte-tatin and star anise open the nose. The palate is round, full, and bright, with roasted pear and succulent green gage plum giving way to deeper honeycomb-like waxy notes on the finish. Great complexity from extended barrel ageing on the lees.

Varieties include Green Hungarian, Semillon, Sauvignon Vert, Golden Chasselas, Pinot Blanc and others, all on St. George rootstock or original vinifera roots. Fermented and aged on lees in neutral oak barrels.

Appellation: Napa Valley | Farming: Beyond organic, dry-farmed | Vine Age: 70–90+ years | ABV: 12.5% | pH: 3.40 | TA: 7 g/L