Matthiasson 2020 Ribolla Gialla

Steve fell in love with Ribolla Gialla while traveling in Friuli in 2005, excited by the variety of great wines coming from that region and the many different expressions Ribolla can take on. Shortly after he grafted some Ribolla onto 15-year-old Merlot vines at the Matthiasson home vineyard in Napa. This wine was fermented whole cluster with native yeast in an open-top tank using punchdowns. After two weeks the must was pressed, and the wine was aged for 18 months in neutral barrels. The wine aged sur lees and it was never racked. No SO2 was used until a tiny amount at bottling. While technically an "orange wine" this really drinks more like a textured, deeply mineral white. There are some subtle floral aromatics and just a kiss of tannin that hint at skin contact, but it's still airy and fresh with balanced acidity and a clean saline finish. Perfect with oysters or light seafood dishes, dreaming of summer by the water.