Malbec, Frenchtown Farms 'Chasse Patate'

100% Malbec from Naggiar Vineyard in Grass Valley. Chasse Patate is an expression of the lighter side of the Sierra Foothills. The Naggiar Vineyard is much less severe than North Yuba, sitting at about 1200 ft. of elevation. The vines are planted on rolling hills rather than steep rocky slopes, resulting in less tannic structure and an approachable fruit profile at a young age. The fruit was foot crushed [wholecluster] for fermentation, and matured in barrel for 5 months before bottling. Bottled unfined and unfiltered with a 25ppm sulfur addition.

Aaron & Cara Mockrish ended up in North Yuba County with the intention of establishing a farm, but a bottle of Clos Saron Black Pearl 2008 sent them off on an unexpected path to winemaking. Having tasted the wine, they found that the man who made it lived near to their farm. It was there, in Oregon House, California, that they found Gideon Beinstock, his tiny home vineyard, and their future.

They began learning from Gideon, working in the vineyards to the winery and everything in between, and it was clear that not only was this the life for them, that this was a singular place and the wines were unlike anything else. Shortly after producing their first vintage in 2015, they were able to secure access to a large portion of the Renaissance Vineyards, where they have been carefully farming multiple blocks of old, own-rooted, and dry farmed vines. In addition to their work at the Renaissance Vineyard, Aaron and Cara are establishing new vines on the steep, rocky slopes of their home vineyard, as well as tending to a 12-acre plot of mixed varieties in Grass Valley.