SOULFUL NEW WAVE CALIFORNIA: SCAR OF THE SEA'S GAMAY & CHARDONNAY
Scar of the Sea is one of our favorite New Wave California producers, and they represent everything we love about California's return to balance-driven wines that can accompany food. The bottlings are limited, and are typically unfined and unfiltered, with minimal sulfur usage and no new oak. For the Gamay, welcome to new world Beaujolais. The 5-acre Topotero vineyard sits next door to the Bassi Vineyard in Avila Beach. Surrounded by gardens, palm trees, apples and a creek bed, this little guy is a brand new favorite. The vineyard was grafted to Gamay from Pinot Noir in 2019. Organic farming is practiced on this home vineyard of winemaking Ben Taylor. The wine is fermented with 60% whole cluster for 10 days, then pressed with the wooden basket press. Bottled 8 month later without fining or filtering. Fresh strawberries, green peppercorn, and faint, nuanced balsamic character. The Chardonnay is like new world 1er Cru Chablis with its salty minerality and piquant fruit character.
"The wines I have tasted are superb. Native fermentations, minimal oak influence, and no fining or filtration are de rigeur. Readers should do whatever they can to taste these wines, as they are special and promising." -Antonio Galloni, Vinous
