Everybody knows a Marlena. Cool, carefree, and just doesn't give a f*** what you think.
A fun, stylish wine, we blended together 50% Graciano, 44% Syrah, 6% Viognier, and plenty of good vibes, to create a red wine that everybody will dig, just like Marlena.
Returning to the Sierra de Montserrat Vineyard in the Sierra Foothills, we're back to work with Graciano. We love the punchy cherry elements of this variety, so we ollie-stomped the fruit before allowing whole-cluster fermentation to do its thing. We gave the same treatment to the Syrah, which we scored from the fabled Snows Crossing Vineyard. Lastly, because we're addicted to it, we cut in some Viognier, a white grape variety, that adds acidity that helps the red juice become the best version of themselves.
For us, it was love at first sight once we saw the shimmery garnet hues and tasted the cherry bomb flavors. Inhale violets, mulberry, and cedar. Exhale worry. As it transitions in the glass, like summer to fall, allspice and white pepper transform into a liquified cherry Jolly Rancher that rides on ‘til morning. Gonna pair with some carne asada street tacos and just chill for a while.
We collaborated with artists Tyler Spangler and Rows for this feel-good label depicting Marlena ollieing through an array of vibrant San Fernando Valley colors. Spangler is known for pushing the bounds of color; “A professor at my art school said my work looked like a high school yearbook on acid.” Lucky for us and you, we’re trippin’ on traditional photography metamorphosed with a vibrant, pastel sky. Our friend Rows creates hallucinatory digital collages and sick lo-fi beats.
From Marlena to you, wishing everyone smooth-skating into the weekend!
She's as rare as they come.
Vintage: 2019
Appellation: Sierra Foothills
Vineyard: 50% Sierra de Montserrat Vineyard, 44% Snows Crossing Vineyard, 6% Shake Ridge Vineyard
Aging: 100% neutral oak, aged for 9 months
Fermentation: 50% whole-cluster, foot-stomped
Alcohol %: 13.4
Blend: 50% Graciano, 44% Syrah, 6% Viognier
Release Date: 2020
Other Notes: Drink by 2026