Scythian Wine Co.
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Scythian Wine Co. is a new project from sommelier-turned-vigneron Raj Parr that highlights the nearly lost viticultural heritage of Los Angeles. Before prohibition, the city was the center of the California wine industry, producing highly regarded wines from varieties like Palomino, Mission, Garnacha Tintorera and Zinfandel planted on sandy soils. A few of these own-rooted, dry-farmed, vineyards endure, largely due to the stewardship of the Galleano family. With a few collaborators, Raj Parr started exploring, then rehabilitating, some of the most interesting plots of these vines in 2019. The vineyards are relics, sandwiched between warehouses, corporate headquarters, neighborhoods and highways around Los Angeles County. The vines are almost all over 100-years-old, and none of the vineyards have ever been treated with pesticides fungicides, or even sulfur or copper. From these marvels of endurance and survival, Raj makes low-intervention wines in a small cellar near Boyle Heights, working with minimal additives and neutral vessels. The Scythian Wine Company wines are a fascinating opportunity to taste a fundamentally different side of the history of California wine.

The Wines

Cucamonga Revolution White is 100% Palomino from the Lopez Vineyard, planted in 1912. The soils are sandy granite, and much of the vineyard has been left unpruned for the past several years. These old vines produce very small amounts of fruit (~1kg per plant), but it is hoped that continued work (pruning, care) will restore their vigor. The vineyard is dry farmed and has never been sprayed or treated in any way. The grapes were harvested by hand, left whole cluster, and pressed to ferment without temperature control in neutral used French oak barrels. Rested and aged in the same vessels before bottling. Bottled without fining or filtering and with only 20ppm SO2 added.

The Scythians Palomino is 95% Palomino with 5% other unknown red and white varieties (maybe Colombard and Muscat?). From the Lopez Vineyard, planted in 1912. The soils are sandy granite, and much of the vineyard has been left unpruned for the past several years. These old vines produce very small amounts of fruit (~1kg per plant), but it is hoped that continued work (pruning, care) will restore their vigor. The vineyard is dry farmed and has never been sprayed or treated in any way. The grapes were harvested by hand and some of the juice macerated on the skins for roughly a week before fermentation with native yeasts in a mix of Sherry botas (from Ramiro Ibáñez of COTA 45) and old French oak barrels, then rested for 6 months to complete malolactic conversion. A small amount of SO2 was added after malolactic fermentation. Bottled without fining or filtering.

The Scythians Red is 50% Zinfandel, 30% Alicante Bouschet, 10% Mission, 10% and Grenache from a blend of three plots: Lopez Vineyard, planted in 1912 in San Bernardino; Francis Road Vineyard, planted in 1905 in Ontario; and Galleano Vineyard, planted in 1912 in Jurupa Valley. All of the vineyards are own-rooted and planted on sandy granite soils. The vineyards are all dry farmed and never sprayed or treated in any way. The grapes were harvested by hand and fermented whole cluster in open-top neutral fermenters, then rested in old French oak barrels. A small amount of SO2 was added after malolactic fermentation. Bottled without fining or filtering.

Cucamonga Revolution Red is 70% Zinfandel and 30% Palomino from the Lopez Vineyard, planted in 1912. The vines are planted on sandy granite soils and are dry farmed and never sprayed or treated in any way. The grapes were harvested by hand and fermented whole cluster in open-top neutral fermenters, then rested in old French oak barrels. A small amount of SO2 was added after malolactic fermentation. Bottled without fining, filtering.

Misturado de Cucamonga is 50% Zinfandel, 30% Palomino, and 20% Alicante Bouschet. The Palomino and Zinfandel are from the Lopez Vineyard in San Bernardino, while the Alicante comes from the Galleano Home Vineyard in Jurupa Valley. Both vineyards are composed of own-rooted vines planted in 1912 that are dry farmed and never sprayed or treated in any way. The grapes were harvested by hand and cofermented whole cluster in open-top neutral fermenters, then aged in a 1000L foudre. Bottled without fining, filtering, or added sulfur.

Lone Wolf is Mission (aka País, aka Misíon) and various mutations and crosses of the variety from the Lone Wolf Vineyard, planted in 1896 and abandoned for many years. During this period without pruning or upkeep, the Mission vines interbred with each other and with various other local non-vinifera varieties. The grapes were harvested by hand and destemmed into a stainless-steel tank, where they macerated on the skins and fermented for three weeks with one punchdown by hand each day. The juice was transferred to used barrels to age. Bottled without fining, filtering or added sulfur.
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Scythian Wine Co. Homage is 80% Alicante Bouschet and 20% Palomino from the Galleano Home Vineyard in the Jurupa Valley, planted in 1912. The soils here are fine sand over granite bedrock, and the vineyard is located over an underground water deposit that helps to feed the plants in dry years. The vineyard is dry farmed, the vines are own-rooted and have never been sprayed or treated in any way. The grapes were harvested by hand and fermented whole cluster in open-top neutral fermenters, then rested in 500L old French oak barrel. A small amount of SO2 was added after malolactic fermentation. Bottled without fining or filtering.

Location

General Info

  • Founded: 2021
  • Region: Southern California
  • Town: Temecula, Rancho Cucamonga, and the greater Los Angeles area
  • Climate: Arid
  • Soils: Decomposed granitic sands
  • Farming: No spraying of any sort in the vines, biodynamic treatments, all dry farmed.
  • Grower: Raj Parr and collaborators, including Abe Schoener and the Galleano family.

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