Product Overview
Distributor's Notes:
"The Scythians Palomino is 95% Palomino with 5% other unknown red and white varieties (maybe Colombard and Muscat?). From the Lopez Vineyard, planted in 1912. The soils are sandy granite, and much of the vineyard has been left unpruned for the past several years. These old vines produce very small amounts of fruit (~1kg per plant), but it is hoped that continued work (pruning, care) will restore their vigor. The vineyard is dry farmed and has never been sprayed or treated in any way. The grapes were harvested by hand and some of the juice macerated on the skins for roughly a week before fermentation with native yeasts in a mix of Sherry botas (from Ramiro Ibáñez of COTA 45) and old French oak barrels, then rested for 6 months to complete malolactic conversion. A small amount of SO2 was added after malolactic fermentation. Bottled without fining or filtering."
Varietal Composition: 95% Palomino, 5% unknown
Appellation: Cucamonga Valley AVA
Vineyard Designaiton: Lopez Vineyard
Vine Age: planted in 1912
Aging: 6 months in French oak
Winemaker: Rajj Parr
92 Points - Wine Advocate:
"The 2022 Scythians Palomino comes from the Lopez Vineyard in Cucamonga Valley, where the own-rooted, dry-farmed vines were planted in 1912. The old vineyard was interplanted with some red varieties, and around five percent of the wine is composed of unknown white and red grapes. Some of the juice was macerated on skins for one week before fermentation in Sherry botas and used French oak barrels. It was matured for six months and 20 parts per million free sulfur was added before it was bottled unfined and unfiltered. While the 2021 vintage had some influence from flor yeast, this version was not impacted by flor. Medium salmon-pink in color, the Palomino is fresh and inviting on the nose, with nutty tones complementing cantaloupe, peach, green herbs and white pepper. The medium-bodied palate is defined by its pleasantly grippy texture and super-fresh acidity. It has a concentrated core of fruit and a long, flavorful finish. 3,600 bottles produced." -EB, 1/31/2024
