Broc Cellars Amore Blendo 2020

The 2020 Amore Blendo is a light red blend of 52% Barbera, 24% Primitivo, and 24% Sauvignon Blanc sourced from two organically farmed Mendocino vineyards. The Barbera and Primitivo come from Fox Hill Vineyard, located on the Talmage Bench between Hopland and Ukiah, where the soil is predominantly sandstone, river rock, and pebbles with large quartz pieces. The Sauvignon Blanc comes from Mi Hija Vineyard in the Redwood Valley, a biodynamically farmed neighbor to Fox Hill.

All three varieties were picked on the same morning in early September 2020, whole-cluster, and layered in alternating rows inside the tank until it was sealed for true carbonic fermentation. After pressing, the wine aged in three vessels simultaneously: a 41-hectoliter concrete tank, a sandstone terra cotta jar, and two neutral French oak barrels. No sulfur was added during fermentation or aging. A small amount may have been added at bottling. Only 494 cases were produced.

At 12% ABV, this wine sits closer to a chillable dark rosé than a conventional red. The carbonic fermentation and early September harvest date preserve fresh acidity and lift aromatics rather than push concentration. Serve slightly chilled, around 55F, as you would a Beaujolais or light Gamay.