A Dollop of Damson 2025

Site
Bluestone Vineyard - Bridgewater, Rockingham County, Virginia 1240’ elevation
Ox-Eye Vineyards - Staunton, Augusta County, Virginia 1760’ elevation
Countryside Farm & Nursery - Crimora, Augusta County, Virginia 1260’ elevation
Dickie Brothers Orchard - Roseland, Nelson County, Virginia 1100’ elevation

Fruit
35% Vidal Blanc, 35% Traminette, 15% Harrison, 10% Damson Plum, 5% Wickson

Vinification
Traminette was harvested on September 2nd, foot tread whole cluster and macerated for 13 days in a open top bin before being pressed directly to neutral, 500L puncheons. Vidal Blanc was harvested on 9/22, foot tread whole cluster and soaked over night. The following day Harrison and Wickson apples were ground and pressed in combination with the Vidal Blanc, topping up the puncheons. An uninoculated, native fermentation concluded later into November and the wine was left undisturbed until being racked off its gross/fine lees in February of 2025. Damson plum wine was blended in tank and the resulting wine was bottled traditional method. After resting on its lees for six months, bottles were hand disgorged in early September 2025.
No additions of SO2 were made at any stage of this wine.

Notes
After a somewhat limited fruit composition in 2024, we were able to reintroduce Traminette from Ox-Eye Vineyard and a smaller sized cultivar of Damsons from our original source in Dickie Brothers. Nearly two weeks of maceration makes the Traminette quite impactful in both the aromatics and the body of the wine. There is a precise, crushed candy minerality and more grippy tannin than previous vintages. Damson and apples take a back seat in this vintage as the overall profile leans more heavily to both hybrid grapes, presenting something a little more like a structured orange wine from Sicily all the while still tight and refreshing. As always, this ever evolving wine is intended to showcase the unique capacity of multi-fruit co-ferments as a distinctive Virginia wine.

108 cases produced, 10.79% Alc. by Volume, 750ml