Jolie-Laide Trousseau Gris Sonoma County 2024

The New York Times

The New York Times by Eric Asimov |  Scott and Jenny Schultz of Jolie-Laide make highly distinctive wines from grapes that are not among California's usual suspects. The trousseau gris grapes for this bottle were farmed organically and stomped by foot. The wine is lively and aromatic and will go with a wide range of savory and sweetish things. 

Winery Notes

Planted in the late 1970s, these rare, near extinct vines with massive, gnarly trunks produce unique and fascinating fruit. In return, the wine made from them is always beguilingly complex and nuanced.

Since our first Fanucchi Wood Road Trousseau Gris bottling in 2010, the wines have shown a strong structural foundation with vintage driven character. However, vine yields vary, and in 2024, Mother Nature graced us with half the fruit yielded in 2023 making this Trousseau Gris as rare as the old vines that produced it.

To preserve natural acidity, we harvested the grapes early and foot stomped them for a three day whole cluster cold soak. This gentle maceration adds subtle phenolic texture and mouthfeel, lifted aromatics, and a gorgeous rose gold hue. The now roseate juice was gently moved to a combination of neutral puncheon and stainless steel for a slow and cold native yeast fermentation. Once primary fermentation was complete, the wines were moved to neutral puncheons and barrique for a 6-month élevage to preserve freshness and aromatics.

The 2024 Trousseau Gris is a fresh and elegant wine showing off summer melon, nectarine, white tea, and pine. 12.5% ABV

The 2024 labels feature the work of Sandra Fontenas, a French visual artist and photographer based in La Rochelle, FR.