March Wines Redwing Vineyard Riesling Santa Clara County 2019

They say it takes a lot of great beer to make great wine. Our founder Karen Williams loves a premium extra dry vodka martini to end the day or kick off a lovely dinner. And we’ve noticed that many local winemakers who shop at ACME gravitate to our curated selection of imported wines. So, where are we going with this? Well, here in the Napa Valley, we are so steeped in delicious, robust, world-class Cabernet Sauvignon that it can be an embarrassment of riches. So much so that, sometimes, we prefer to enjoy libations that we’re not in the business of making or selling in our day-to-day (very fortunate) lives. Riesling fits that bill for Charley and Maura Johnson, the husband-and-wife winemakers behind March wines. Riesling is one of the noblest white grape varietals, beloved by sommeliers the world over for its versatility, crisp acidity, and complex aromatics. But alas, it is a varietal seldom found planted here in California. So, when this scrumptious offering crossed our desks recently, we could barely contain our excitement!

In 2012, Maura and Charley met at a harvest celebration at Duckhorn and, instantly smitten, began dating. Four years later and now married, the couple founded March wines, a combination of their first names, to feature wines they enjoy drinking themselves. Maura studied enology at UC Davis and is the Associate Winemaker at Dana Estates. And Charley, a Cal Poly alumnus, is a former winemaker at O’Brien Estate who has entered the pressure washing business with his father- a service essential to wineries, as you can imagine. Maura loves aromatic white wines, and she seemed to encounter Riesling everywhere she went while working harvests abroad. It popped up in all its glorious permutations in Australia, Germany, and New Zealand. Was Riesling following her? It certainly made an impression. And later, when she and Charley came across a rare plot of Riesling in California- what style did they want to make for their own label? High acid and dry like the Australians make? Gorgeously balanced and at every sweetness level as in Germany? Or the headily perfumed versions found in New Zealand? In the end, it seems the Aussie style won out, and we have Down Under to thank for inspiring this enticing wine!

Santa Clara County may best be known as the home of Silicon Valley, but grapevines were planted here long before Big Tech arrived. Vineyards in the Santa Cruz Mountains, such as Mount Eden and Ridge Monte Bello, are widely regarded as some of California’s finest. Maura and Charley sourced fruit for this wine from the Redwing Vineyard, which was planted back in 1971. It is nestled high in the Hecker Pass and is buffeted by cool Pacific breezes. When owner David Boll bought the property in 2001, he acquired a beautiful house, a lake, an apple orchard, and an overgrown vineyard. David took an interest in the old vine Riesling he inherited, cleared weeds, and retrained the vines which are still planted on their original, hardy St. George rootstock. Charley and Maura were enamored of the exquisite fruit quality from this unique site. Their dry Riesling features aromas of braised apples and lemon zest with a zippy acidity that continuously refreshes the palate. It is the perfect way to unwind after a long day making some of the world’s finest Cabernet Sauvignon!