COLOUR
White
TYPE
Still
VINTAGE
2023
GRAPE
Vermentino
PRODUCER
Matthiasson
REGION
California
CHARACTERISTICS
Body
Medium - Full
Sweetness
Dry
Acidity
High
Finish
Long
Intensity
Pronounced
Tannins
Medium - Low
AROMAS & FLAVOURS
ABOUT THIS WINE
Steve and Jill Klein Matthiasson are celebrated pioneers of the New California Wine movement, championing moderate alcohol, high acidity, and food-friendly balance. Based in Napa Valley, they focus heavily on sustainable and organic viticulture, viewing winemaking as a natural extension of farming. The Cressida Vineyard, acquired in 2022, is located on a ridgetop in the cool, windy Los Carneros AVA. Its unique soils of ancient inland sea shale and schist, combined with maritime breezes from the San Francisco Bay, yield grapes with exceptional minerality and vibrant acidity.
ALCOHOL
13.0%
AVG. PRICE
€34
STYLE
Classic
VEGAN
YES
SULPHITES
When to drink
Now or Later
Ideal temperature
10-12°C
INTERESTING FACTS
Fact 01
Vermentino is a rare Mediterranean grape in Napa Valley, making this bottling a highly sought-after 'unicorn' wine.
Fact 02
The Cressida Vineyard sits on ancient inland sea shale and schist, imparting a distinct saline, oyster-shell minerality to the wine.
Fact 03
Half of the blend is fermented on its skins like an orange wine, while the other half is whole-cluster pressed and aged in neutral French oak.
FOOD PAIRING
Read more
WINE MAKING PROCESS
The 2023 Vermentino is crafted using a split-lot method to balance texture and freshness. One portion of the grapes, harvested at peak ripeness, undergoes skin fermentation in tanks (orange wine style) to extract phenolic structure, color, and savory aromatics. The remaining portion, harvested earlier from cooler zones, is whole-cluster pressed and fermented in neutral French oak barrels. Both lots utilize indigenous yeasts. After fermentation, the lots are blended to combine the zesty, high-acid barrel-fermented wine with the rich, textured skin-contact component. The wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered.
