Seta 2020

Appellation:

Shenandoah Valley

Winemaker Notes:

One of the top sellers in our tasting room is our Primitivo, guests simply love it and we usually make it the grand finale of the tasting flight of reds. We were inspired to make the Seta blend while sampling our wines, with Primitivo first followed by Petite Sirah. Realizing what a great combination the two would make to enhance the Primitivo even more, by taking the fruitiness up a notch in intensity while retaining the silky smooth “dance on your tongue” finish. With the amazing blending skills of our winemaker Antonia, we created a blend that showcases the amazing region we have here for growing and making Italian and Rhône style wines. Infusion of French oak, equivalent to about 40% new barrel. The wine was aged nearly two years before bottling in March 2022.

Planted on deep growing and drought tolerant special rootstock, our Estate Old Vine Primitivo grows on a steep hillside at a 2,000-foot altitude in Amador County’s Shenandoah Valley of the Sierra Foothills. It thrives in warm daytime breezes from the Central Valley and cool Sierra evenings, a 30-degree swing in temperature. Our Primitivo is dry-farmed with sustainable growing practices. These are the oldest vines at La Mesa and grow just below the “Casa” on the upper hillside, head trained and planted in 2003.

Vineyard Notes:

Our Estate Petite Sirah grows on a steep hillside at 2,000-foot altitude in the granitic and volcanic soil of our upper hillside, lower block. It is grafted on special drought-tolerant rootstock which allows it to dig deep in this soil for water. We grow the "03" clone, originally from the Kunde Vineyards in Sonoma, expressing aromatics of blueberry and violets with a tannin structure that is more delicate for Petite Sirah.