Monument Wine Co, Smithereens 2020

Grower: Monument Wine Company
Region: Southern Oregon, USA
Grape Varieties: Muscat, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc
Viticulture: Organic
Category: White
Size: 500ml

"as much of oregon was blanketed with smoke from the wildfires, grapes were denied sunlight and heat and, for the luckier bunch, time simply stopped. the muscat at rizzo vineyard, planted in 2000 in the eola-amity hills, was harvested in the middle of much-needed rains as the fires began to slowly calm. grapes clusters swelled; big, fragrant things that looked like costume jewelry, and they were crushed and left to macerated on their skins for eleven days before going to tank. only chance, and perhaps wind, kept smoke taint away.
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due to the unique harvest conditions, alcohol was 8.4% upon completion; 20% of the finished wine is co-fermented chardonnay/sauv blanc from tank, which lent the wine a little structure while still clocking in under 10%. in many ways, this is the foil to permanent piece, or playful nemesis. it's floral, delicate, and light - so much so that the 500ml bottle seemed the perfect vessel - and somehow subtle yet still quite distinctive. even the label depicts the remnants of the syrah label." -Tyler