Discovino Donna Rose' 2018

Discovino is a sub-label of Wonderwerk Co., a California natural wine project founded by Issamu Kamide and Andrew Lardy. The Donna Rosé was their first commercial release, born after the pair attended Despacio, a traveling high-end discotheque organized by James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem. The wine is produced at the Atelier des Savants Fous custom crush facility in Gilroy.

Fruit for this 2018 comes from the El Pomar District of Paso Robles, a 21,300-acre sub-AVA situated centrally within the broader appellation. El Pomar sits in a Region II-III climate corridor, moderated by marine air that funnels inland through the Templeton Gap from Estero Bay approximately 15 nautical miles away. Soils are dominated by the Linne-Calodo complex: moderately alkaline clay loams and sandy loams with calcareous shale fragments that limit vine vigor and support natural acidity.

The blend is 45% Sangiovese and 55% Syrah, harvested at 21.0 degrees Brix. Grapes were direct-pressed and the juice co-fermented in stainless steel using a combination of native and selected microflora to build aromatic complexity. No oak aging is noted; the wine was kept in stainless to preserve freshness and lift.

The result sits squarely in a Corsican rosé register: dry, relatively pale, and structured more around savory red-fruit tension than sweetness or weight. The Syrah brings dried herb and dark berry character while the Sangiovese contributes sour cherry brightness and firm acidity.