Birichino Mokelumne River Cinsault “Vignes Centenaires” ’24

Description

Birichino Mokelumne River Cinsault "Vignes Centenaires" '24

This remarkable wine is a 100% single-varietal Cinsault sourced entirely from the legendary Bechthold Vineyard, renowned as the oldest surviving Cinsault planting in the world, dating back to 1886. The 2024 vintage in California's Mokelumne River AVA within Lodi experienced a beautifully balanced growing season, where warm daytime temperatures were perfectly mitigated by the cooling maritime breezes flowing through the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. These ancient, own-rooted vines are dry-farmed organically in deep Tokay fine sandy loam soils, forcing the roots deep into the earth and yielding exceptionally concentrated, terroir-driven fruit. In the cellar, Birichino employs a minimalist philosophy, utilizing native yeast fermentation with a portion of whole clusters before aging the wine in neutral oak barrels to preserve its delicate aromatics, bottling it unfined and unfiltered. In the glass, the wine displays a brilliant, translucent pale ruby color with pristine clarity and moderate viscosity. The nose is highly aromatic and evocative, bursting with primary notes of wild strawberry, crushed pomegranate, and red cherry, beautifully layered with secondary aromas of dried rose petals, crushed violets, and a distinct dusty graphite minerality. On the palate, this is a decidedly dry, light-bodied wine that dances across the tongue with a silky, ethereal texture and vibrant, mouth-watering acidity. The tannins are fine-grained and powdery, providing just enough structure to carry the bright red fruit and subtle white pepper spice through a lingering, elegant finish. This Cinsault pairs beautifully with classic American cuisine; try it alongside a cedar-plank grilled Pacific salmon, where the wine's acidity cuts through the rich fat of the fish, or with a smoked pulled pork sandwich, as the bright fruit complements the savory, tangy barbecue flavors. While specific critic scores for the newly released 2024 vintage are still pending, previous iterations consistently earn 92-94 points from major publications like Wine Advocate and Wine Spectator, making this historic, world-class wine an astonishingly affordable value in its class.