La Clarine Farm Mo-Ma 2017

Mo-Ma is short for Mourvedre-Marsanne, and the name tells you exactly what this wine is: a co-ferment of a red and a white grape from high-elevation Sierra Foothills vineyards. The 2017 blend is 61% Mourvedre, 32% Marsanne, and 7% Roussanne, the latter added because the Marsanne crop came in lighter than usual that year. Grapes were picked on September 21st at 18.5 Brix with a pH of 3.60. Only 257 cases were produced.

The color sits in an ambiguous zone between pale red and deep rose. On the nose: earthy and mineral, with cherry, vanilla, plum, and grape skin. On the palate it is light-bodied, savory, and herbal, with a core of fresh acidity. Very fine tannins appear at the finish alongside a peppery sensation. At 10.5% ABV, this is a low-alcohol wine with real structure.

The 2017 vintage in the Sierra Foothills was marked by lower alcohols and lower yields compared to the prior few years, which shows in the wine's restrained, precise character. Hank Beckmeyer ferments with native yeasts, uses neutral vessels, and bottles unfined and unfiltered with minimal added sulfur. The co-fermentation of red and white grapes is intentional, and the result drinks more like a savory, mineral-driven red than a conventional California blend.

Serve slightly chilled, around 55-58F, to bring out the spicy and herbal notes. The wine evolves noticeably as it warms in the glass.