Cormorant - 'Preston' - Grenache Blanc, Marsanne - Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma, CA - 2021

Notes from the Winery/Importer

2021 is the first year I have made this wine. The fruit is from Preston Family Vineyards at the far end of Dry Creek Valley. The wine is fermented primarily in seven-year-old barrels, with the balance in two once-used barrels. I blend the two varietals during fermentation which helps combine the aromas of the wine early in its life. 2021 Grenache Blanc (64%) Marsanne (36%) 12.9% Alcohol 100% Preston Vineyard unfined and unfiltered

Notes on the Producer

Over the two decades I have been in winemaking, there has been one theme, simplicity makes the best wines. Cormorant wines are 100% vineyard sourced and grown without synthetic pesticides or synthetic fertilizers. I only work with growers that go through the organic certification process. I use mainly seven-year-old French barrels and some stainless drums to make my white wines. Once the juice is in the barrels and drums, we do not pump, freeze, or use machinery to manipulate these wines. When I started Cormorant in 2018, my winemaking focused on creating a great Sauvignon Blanc with some traditional sur lie aging. There is a tiny bit of sediment in each bottle because I do not filter any of my wines. In 2021 I brought in some more varietals to the winery. Chardonnay, Grenache Blanc, and Marsanne are treated very similarly to the Sauvignon Blanc, with one difference. Stainless Steel Drums are not for the other varietals. Sauvignon Blanc can be very delicate, so I want to use the drums in 45-35% of the wine. Older oak or neutral oak barrels are perfect for Chardonnay, Grenache Blanc, and Marsanne. Along with the new whites, I just bottled my first red wine in February of 2023. The red wine is aging in bottle. We will release it spring or Fall of 2023. — Charlie Gilmore