Wine
Benevolent Neglect GSM
Viti/ViniThe Fore Family Vineyard in Lake County is at high elevation (3,000+ feet) and consists of super rocky soils. It is a cool site with extreme diurnal shifts and is usually one of the last picks of the year, but still with low brix (around 23). Las Madres vineyard in Los Carneros Sonoma is a hillside site nestled in a bowl. This allows for excellent ripening during the day while benefiting from cool, marine influenced temperatures at night. Both vineyards are farmed sustainably in an organic way. All varieties are usually vinified separately, but if the season allows, may be co-fermented. 50% whole cluster for Syrah. Grenache matures in neutral barrels, while elevage for Syrah and Mourvedre is in Hungarian oak, about 25% new. Blend and vineyard percentages change year on year to reflect vintage characteristics.
Producer
Winemakers Matt Nagy and Ben Brenner are Matthiasson protégées spreading their wings on their first solo project. With Steve as a mentor and friend they have connections to some of California’s most iconic vineyards making it a cinch for cellar practices to be thoughtful and hands-off, hence the name: Benevolent Neglect. Minimal intervention is the best way to describe their winemaking style. In their words: “the idea of the winemaker is to be the reliable translator—to take what was made in the vineyard from sun, water and soil and let it become the finest it can be.”
Winemaker: Matt Nagy and Ben Brenner
Country: USA
Region: Lake County, Los Carneros Sonoma
Type: Red
Variety: Garnacha, Grenache, Mourvedre, Syrah
Farming: Sustainable
Age of Vines: Planted around 2000
Production: 1,104 bottles
Soil: Volcanic (Fore Family Vineyard), haire clay loam (Las Madres Vineyard)
Vegan