The estate Blaufränkisch shows a likeness to the sanguine and iron minerality that defines our Pinot Noir but with more nervy acidity and a darker, deeper fruit profile. Blaufränkisch also has a wonderful transparency and is highly sensitive to its environment. The goal is to find consistency in expression of the Johan terroir over multiple grape varieties from our site.
The objective of our flagship Pinot Noir is to create a bottling that is a direct translation of the growing season and the most accurate representation of Johan Vineyards’ true terroir. We carefully select parcels of fruit from every rootstock/scion combination, aspect, vine age, and soil profile, creating a collage of the diverse expressions of our vineyard through the lens of Pinot Noir.
Originally hailing from Germany, and the offspring of the noble Riesling grape, Kerner is an aromatic white variety capable of producing compelling white wines with an intensely floral bouquet, bright acidity and plenty of citrus and balance on the palate. We foot-tread the grapes and allowed them to soak on skins for a few hours before pressing, and fermented and aged the wine in barrel on original lees for 11 months.
Our 2018 Meadow Bloom is the culmination of many years of experimentation with the goal of making a natural Traditional Method sparkling wine (without the addition of cultivated yeast or sugar). Meadow Bloom is a blend of 90% Pinot Noir and 10% Chardonnay, aged en tirage on Chardonnay lees for an additional 2 years and disgorged this Fall.
Maceration is a skin-contact white blend we developed to allow for creativity and experimentation in the cellar. With the Gruner Veltliner, Ribolla, Friulano and Kerner all being prime candidates for skin contact, we are trialing and employing different methods to study the wide range of expressions we can achieve with these grapes on our site.
While the Zweigelt grape may sound like an exotic variety, it is the most widely planted red grape in the country of Austria. Wines produced from this grape are often bright, playful, and quaffable. The 2022 vintage is a collision of red raspberries, cherry blossoms, and black pepper–and is the perfect wine to chill on a hot summer afternoon and accompany your favorite wood-fired pizza!
A few years ago, our winemaker Morgan had a wildly inspiring rosé from Austria, and thought she’d try her hand at making one herself. Think hibiscus tea meets crunchy cranberries and a splash of black cherry. The label highlights one of our favorite music genres - DISCO - and our lovable and gregarious Johan chickens.
Murmuration refers to the phenomenon that results when hundreds, sometimes thousands, of starlings fly in swooping, intricately coordinated patterns through the sky. When we witness this magnificent event in the vineyard, it reminds us that a great blend is a collective reflection of the sum of all parts, as opposed to any one part on it’s own.
