Lost Ranch - 'Estate Nero D' Avola' - Nero d'Avola - Temecula Valley, CA - 2023

@lostranchwinery

Notes from the Winery/Importer

This is the first red wine released from our estate vineyard. We chose Nero after researching regions most similar to Temecula. Our goal is to find grapes that thrive in our climate, producing the best wine possible with our terroir. As with all of our wines, this wine was produced with native yeast, ML and organically farmed grapes. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. Ingredients: Grapes and minimal SO2. Alc: 12.5% pH: 3.79

Notes on the Producer

Jasmine and Joseph Wiens created Lost Ranch in 2020, with the dream of making low intervention wines and opening a working ranch focused on regenerative farming principles. Lost Ranch grows and sources grapes from organic and regeneratively farmed vineyards. We believe that the increase in quality outweighs the additional work required to farm this way. More importantly, we believe that we have a responsibility to be good stewards of the land, which means not using synthetic chemicals that are harmful to our environment and our health. Additionally, our no-till farming and native cover crops ensure a healthy environment, rich with biodiversity. We farm with the lightest touch, integrating as seamlessly as possible with our natural ecosystem. We also strive to find the best grape varieties for Temecula. Our goal is to find vines that require the least amount of inputs, while producing the best grapes. This means researching and farming varieties that are less prone to mildew, drought, disease, and damage from heat waves.

Grapes & Style

Nero d'Avola

Nero d’Avola is Sicily’s best-known red grape, named for the town of Avola in the island’s southeast. It can make ripe, generous reds, but the best examples balance that Mediterranean warmth with freshness, savory detail, and a sense of place.

In the vineyard, Nero d’Avola handles heat well and can ripen to deep color and full flavor. Depending on site and winemaking, it can be plush and dark-fruited or more lifted, herbal, and mineral, especially from higher-elevation or coastal vineyards.

In the glass, Nero d’Avola often shows black cherry, plum, blackberry, licorice, tobacco, herbs, and a sun-warmed earthy quality. The best versions are generous without being heavy, with enough structure and acidity to stay lively at the table.