Rootdown, Savagnin 'Cole Ranch' 2022 Mendocino County, CA

Founded in 2014 by winemaker Mike Lucia, Rootdown was born from his desire to create the kind of wines he loved to drink. In 2019, Mike acquired Cole Ranch, America's smallest AVA in Mendocino County, originally planted in 1973 and spanning just 55 acres. This Savagnin is made from two clones grown at Cole Ranch - Savagnin vert and Savagnin jaune - crafted in the ouillé style (regularly topped) for freshness rather than the traditional oxidative vin jaune approach.

Tasting Notes

Medium bodied and dry, balanced and elegant with layers of cream, nuts, wax, and pear, with round edges and bright minerality, medium plus acid, and a clean finish. Grown in the loamy, limestone soils of Mendocino's tiny Cole Ranch AVA, this wine bursts with tension and clarity: barely ripe pear, melon, lime, a touch of grainy apple, and even a hint of soft leather. Like indulging in summer melon granité sprinkled with big flakes of Maldon salt, it captures everything Anjou Pear with the grippiness of its skin and explosion of juiciness, balanced by lean structure and delightful aromatics of daffodil and lemongrass.

Pairs With

Roasted chicken with herbs, grilled seafood, goat cheese tart, Asian cuisine with ginger and citrus