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It is at once the nation’s heritage grape—a survivor of the Gold Rush era—and its most misunderstood varietal. For decades, the market was dominated by monolithic, high-octane bottlings, often jammy and over-extracted, designed to appeal to a palate that equated
Defined by vines typically over 50 years of age—with many exceeding 80 or even 100 years—these gnarled survivors produce wines of remarkable depth, complexity, and a profound sense of place. The 2025 vintage, shaped by a long, steady growing season,
