Stagiaire Wine It's Dangerous 2019

Brent Mayeaux's 'It's Dangerous to Go Alone' is a 2019 Merlot with a splash of Sauvignon Blanc sourced from Feliz Creek, a vineyard near Hopland in Mendocino County. Mayeaux picked this fruit on the riper side, intentionally separating it from the fruit destined for his sibling cuvee Cheeky Bisous. No sulfur added. No additions of any kind.

Winemaking here follows Mayeaux's zero-zero approach: 60% whole cluster fermented with 40% juice pressed on top, then left on skins for 14 days. The whole cluster component adds structure and a savory spine to the riper fruit character, while the brief Sauvignon Blanc co-ferment introduces a thread of aromatic lift.

Stagiaire Wine operates out of Treasure Island in the San Francisco Bay. Mayeaux sources from organically and regeneratively farmed sites along the California coast. His winemaking background includes time working under natural wine producers in the Jura region of France and in the Adelaide Hills of Australia, both of which shaped his minimal-intervention philosophy.

Drink now through 2025, lightly chilled at around 60F. The riper pick and whole-cluster structure give this wine more density than a simple glou-glou, but the acidity stays lively.