2016 Fanucchi Vineyard Skin Fermented Trousseau Gris - Two Shepherds Wine

Orange peel, mustard seed, bruised yellow apple. Tart kumquat, raw leeks, cantaloupe rind. An interesting and unconventional bouquet of ginger root, fresh hops, and kerosine intricately converges with persimmons, red pear, and apricot skin in a complex medley of lifted fruit and herbal funk. Hints of pollen and honeysuckle reveal intertwined floral perfume that rises above organic notes of compost and oyster mushroom. A wave of honeycomb, fennel, and citrus spice further increases depth and dimension while lacquer and apple brady expose a streak of integrated volatile acidity. Expressive and high toned yet still tart and crisp on the palate; exhibiting signs of low-intervention winemaking that play in tune with already unconventional varietal character. Medium minus in body with light dusty tannin and moderate acidity. This 2016 Fanucchi Vineyard Skin Fermented Trousseau Gris by Two Shepherds Wine is a unique, playful, and creative natural wine from the Russian River Valley. 

An esoteric gray-skinned mutation of the Trousseau grape native to eastern France, Trousseau Gris is most commonly grown in the Jura where it is typically used to produce white wine with interesting aromatic qualities. This bottling, crafted by Two Shepherds using Trousseau Gris sourced from the Fanucchi Vineyard in Sonoma's RRV and fermented on its skins, is an extremely unique and unconventional take on a rare grape. This orange wine packs an eclectic range of fruit stretching from tart citrus to oxidized apples, but it is it's non-fruit flavors that are most notable and captivating. Pronounced herbal and spice notes are prevalent on both the nose and the palate while substantial helpings of organic funk and VA also make their presence felt. While not a crowd-pleaser, this is a wine for lovers of the natural and the weird. Available through our friends at Rae Vino.