Martha Stoumen - 'Patatino' - Pinot Noir, Petite Sirah - California, CA - 2021

MARTHA'S NOTES
I made the first vintage of this wine in 2019 to celebrate the birth of my son, August (aka Patatino), who is always in the present moment and wants nothing more than to play. This wine is all about being playful, and I, for one, am so ready for that in my adult life right now. So, go ahead, bring this to the first party you’ve been to in 2 years, and let loose!

The 2021 Patatino is a blend of freshly fermented, whole cluster and lightly macerated Pinot noir from Dicesare Vineyard, and whole cluster, carbonic Petite Sirah from Bricarelli Ranch. I’ve worked with Pinot noir in past lives, but this is the first time working with the grape under my own label. I decided to lean into the earthy, piney, funky side of Pinot noir, so expect something closer to Jura than Burgundy, but of course, always with a Californian swagger.

Fun fact: Patatino means little potato in Italian and is what some Italian mamas call their babes.
Label art: My husband, Jon Patch.
he first taste of harvest 2021 is all savory with our moodiest nouveau to date. Wild and jubilant, Patatino takes you on a walk through a forest of cranberry and strawberry popsicles melting off of their piney sticks. The smell of Himalayan black salt floats in on the wind with whispers of wild oats. Patatino’s lightweight body, bright acidity, and slight spritz keeps you lifted from Nouveau Day (November 18th) through the New Year.
Varietal: 67% Pinot noir, 33% Petite Sirah
Vineyard: Pinot noir from Dicesare Vineyard in Redwood Valley, Mendocino County. This organic, dry-farmed (non-irrigated) vineyard is located next to Hawkeye Ranch (our Chardonnay) and farmed by the same family. Across from the rows of Pinot noir is the Johnson Family’s pear orchard, which ripens just before (and sometimes during!) the grape harvest. Petite Sirah from Bricarelli Ranch, Mendocino County; planted in 2005; dry farmed (no irrigation); farmed by us using only organic products; no use of pesticides, herbicides, or synthetic fertilizers; gravelly loam soils.
Vinification Notes: Dicesare Pinot noir was hand-harvested on September 9, 2021. We fermented the grapes 100% whole cluster for two days in stainless steel and then pressed the just-fermenting fruit (for a very lightly extracted red). Bricarelli Petite Sirah was hand-harvested on August 26, 2021. We also fermented the Petite Sirah grapes 100% whole cluster in stainless steel, and with a nod to winemaking in Beaujolais, we sealed the tank for a brief carbonic fermentation. After two days we opened the tank, drained the just-fermenting juice, and pressed the remaining clusters. The wine was aged briefly in barrel; once primary and malolactic fermentation finished, we blended the Pinot noir and Petite Sirah together to form our 2021 nouveau .

Vinification Notes: Dicesare Pinot noir was hand-harvested on September 9, 2021. We fermented the grapes 100% whole cluster for two days in stainless steel and then pressed the just-fermenting fruit (for a very lightly extracted red). Bricarelli Petite Sirah was hand-harvested on August 26, 2021. We also fermented the Petite Sirah grapes 100% whole cluster in stainless steel, and with a nod to winemaking in Beaujolais, we sealed the tank for a brief carbonic fermentation. After two days we opened the tank, drained the just-fermenting juice, and pressed the remaining clusters. The wine was aged briefly in barrel; once primary and malolactic fermentation finished, we blended the Pinot noir and Petite Sirah together to form our 2021 nouveau .

Martha Stoumen Wines was founded upon the desire to recapture a farming and winemaking culture that has all but faded away: a winemaking culture of patience.
We grow grapes and craft natural wine in Northern California. After 8 years apprenticing around the world, Martha set out as a self-funded, first generation winemaker to answer the question, “What does California taste like?” In our hot little corner of Northern California, Mediterranean grapes thrive and healthy vineyards allow us to create joyful balanced wines. Our wines are made from unexpected varietals and offer new takes on California classics. We do things the right way even if it's not the easy or cool way. Of the dozen or so wines we make every year, blends and flavors change but our desire to share the simple pleasures of natural wine remains the same.