Tessier Mourtaou San Benito 2021 (750 ml)

Only 12 acres of this grape are planted in California, also known as Cabernet Pfeffer. These grapes are farmed organically by the Siletto family in the San Benito AVA. Picked at 22 brix on 09/17/21, 50% whole cluster, native fermentation, aged 5 months in neutral French oak - plus 1 stainless steel barrel . Light red color with purple, magenta hues. Aromas of violets, ume, white pepper with earthy notes. On the palate strawberry, turkey fig, a dab of horseradish with grippy tannins.

Grape: Mourtaou (aka Cabernet Pfeffer)

Vineyard: Siletto Vineyard

Location: San Benito

Alcohol: 11.5%

Total Production: 132 cases

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Kristie Tacey, winemaker and founder of Tessier Winery, is a scientist turned winemaker. A former published research scientist who studied protein pathways, she moved to the San Francisco Bay Area from her native Michigan to pursue a career in biotechnology, which included working on the Human Genome Project. Kristie eventually came to realize that winemaking was her true calling and after working as operations manager and assistant winemaker at an award-winning East Bay winery, she started Tessier in 2009.

Tessier is the result of Kristie’s passion for the art and science of winemaking. She began handcrafting small lots of Pinot Noir and has added Grenache, Pinot Gris, Cabernet Franc, Gamay Noir, Riesling, Syrah and Mourvedre. Kristie’s appreciation of French wines — especially those from Burgundy and the Loire and Rhone valleys — has shaped her winemaking choices. 

With a background in microbiology, Kristie is fascinated by the cycle of life; each vintage of Tessier wines captures and reflects one year in the lives of the vineyards she works with. She sources high-quality fruit from a strong network of farmers in the Anderson Valley, Santa Cruz Mountains, Arroyo Seco, and El Dorado foothills. She then uses minimal-interventionist winemaking techniques to showcase the unique characteristics of the grapes and the vineyards. For Kristie, sustainability is a priority — not only with the vineyards’ farming practices, but also by having long-term relationships with her growers and customers. These small production wines, an annual production of 1400 cases, get unparalleled attention.