2016 Vin de Paille

Our extremely rare Domaine Artefact Vin de Paille Dessert Wine has beautiful aromas of honeysuckle, gardenia, lemon and ginger. On the palate it is sweet and viscous with flavors of honey, ginger, and marmalade. This wine is balanced by bright acidity that carry on a long citrus finish. Vin de Paille is French for “straw wine”.

The Viognier and Grenache Blanc were picked and laid by hand on straw mats to dry and concentrate sugar (approximately 5 weeks). We then pressed and co-fermented the grapes in stainless tanks for about three weeks at 58-60 oF. The wine was left on fine lees without batonnage for ten weeks. We transferred 25% of the wine to a 2-year-old French oak puncheon and the balance of the wine to stainless steel barrels for six months of aging before bottling.

This dessert wine is extremely rare because we can only make it in years when conditions are PERFECT. The grapes need hot and dry conditions in order to desiccate and 2016 provided these unique conditions. We attempted to make this wine in 2017 and in 2018 without success.

This wine is a perfect accompaniment to a rich charcuterie platter as an aperitif, or at the end of the meal served with a rich vanilla crème brûlée. This wine is exceptional with a cheese course with honey and blue cheese. In the summer, we serve this wine for brunch with a fine sparkling water!

• Vintage: 2016
• Varietals: 50% Grenache Blanc and 50% Viognier
• AVA: South Coast, San Diego County
• Vineyard: Domaine Artefact
• pH:
• Acidity:  grams per liter
• Alcohol Percentage: 14.7%
• Harvest: October of 2016
• Cases Produced: