Lotis Wines Grenache Provisor Vineyard 2023
We have 9 in stock (Inventory is live and accurate)
The Land
Dry Creek Valley built its name on Zinfandel, and the Lytton Springs district on its eastern side is classic old-vine Zin country. Provisor Vineyard tells a newer story. It was planted to Syrah in 1999, then grafted over to Grenache, clone 362, in the spring of 2012, on 3.5 acres of the red rock soil the district is known for. That soil drains hard and keeps vigor in check, and the valley's warm days and cool nights let Grenache ripen fully without losing its acidity. The vineyard is farmed organically, and its fruit has drawn some of California's most closely watched Grenache producers. For Grenache from Dry Creek Valley, few addresses carry more weight.
The Wine
Lotis Wines Grenache Provisor Vineyard 2023 is 100% Grenache, hand-harvested and fermented with native yeast, half of it as whole clusters. There are no punchdowns or pumpovers; the cap is left alone, which keeps extraction gentle and the tannin fine. The wine then spends 10 months in neutral barrels and is bottled unfined and unfiltered at 13.7 percent alcohol. Only 49 cases were made. Published tasting notes for this release are scarce. Expect red raspberry, pomegranate, and wild strawberry with dried rose, garrigue, and white pepper, a silky, medium-bodied middle, and a bright, stem-spiced finish. The 2023 season was one of the coolest and latest in two decades across California, after heavy winter rain; one Sonoma winery started picking on September 21, its latest start since 2011. For Grenache, that long hang time means flavor without heaviness.
The People
Lindsey Otis grew up in Santa Cruz and studied viticulture and enology at UC Davis. She then chased harvests through France, New Zealand, and Australia, working both vineyard and cellar, before spending 2007 to 2010 at Williams Selyem and later rising to winemaker at Big Basin Vineyards in the Santa Cruz Mountains. After years of making wine for others, she founded Lotis Wines in 2019 to follow her own instincts. The lineup is small and Rhône-leaning, with Grenache, a white Grenache, Counoise, and a Vermentino from Carneros. The rules are consistent: organically and sustainably farmed fruit, native yeast, no new oak, no fining or filtration, and as little intervention in the cellar as possible. Skurnik represents the wines nationally.
Food Pairing
Give this Grenache a slight chill and cook something with herbs and char. Lamb kofta grilled over charcoal with tzatziki and warm pita works because the fine tannin and bright red fruit meet the fat and spice without fighting either. Roast chicken rubbed with herbes de Provence and plenty of garlic echoes the wine's garrigue side. Grilled salmon with a tomato and olive relish leans on the acidity to cut the oily fish. For a meatless night, try ratatouille baked under goat cheese. This is the red to bring to a backyard dinner when the grill is already hot.
We ship wine to most states with a $100 minimum order for shipping. We don't ship spirits nor beer.
Weather shipping advisory: Orders placed during times of extreme heat or extreme cold will be held for no charge until more favorable weather returns.
Sonoma County, located west of Napa Valley and stretching to the Pacific Ocean, is a large and diverse wine region in California. With a history of winemaking dating back to the 19th century, Sonoma's varied terroir allows it to grow grapes in multiple places throughout the region. Bordered by the Mayacamas Mountains on the east and the Pacific Ocean on the west, the county encompasses a range of climates and soils. The Russian River Valley, known for its cool climate influenced by fog, is acclaimed for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Alexander Valley, further inland and warmer, excels with Cabernet Sauvignon. The Sonoma Coast, a region directly influenced by the Pacific's cool breezes and fog, is gaining recognition for elegant, cool-climate wines, particularly Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. This diverse landscape provides the fruit for an array of styles.
California - Sonoma County
Grenache is a widely planted grape variety that thrives in its Mediterranean home. In Spain, it's known as Garnacha, where it reaches its peak in the Sierra de Gredos as a pure varietal wine, while also being a key blending component in Rioja. France's Southern Rhône, notably Châteauneuf-du-Pape, is another well-known region, where Grenache is often the base of a blended wine. Grenache also finds a home in Sardinia as Cannonau, and it has spread beyond its Mediterranean origins, most famously to Australia's Barossa Valley. The resulting wines are typically light in color, yet they possess a full body and flavor, displaying mature red fruit notes, herbal spices, and often a hint of orange peel, along with soft tannins and moderate acidity. It is an incredibly versatile grape, showing different expressions based on its terroir and the winemaking style employed.
