Jolie-Laide, Mondeuse Noire 2021, Rancho Coda, Sonoma Coast, CA

A grape from the mountainous Savoie region of France, Mondeuse Noire is highly structured, with bright acidity and firm tannins. This one has notes of bright dark fruits, smoky white pepper, and violets. You can drink it now if you let it breathe, but you can also cellar it for 10+ years.

COUNTRY: USA

STATE: California

APPELLATION (AVA): Sonoma coast

REGION: North Coast

SUBREGION: Northern Sonoma

VINEYARD: Rancho Coda

VINTAGE: 2021

GRAPES: 100% Mondeuse Noire

SOIL: Sedimentary Sonoma Formation

PRACTICE: Organic 

VINIFICATION: Carbonic maceration, native yeast fermentation, foot crushed, aged in neutral oak barriques.

PRODUCTION:

AGING POTENTIAL: Drink now (with carafe) but will reward several years of cellar aging.

STYLE: Still

COLOR: Inky dark purple, bright fuchsia meniscus

BODY: Medium to full bodied

TASTE: Dry

TANNINS: Firm and structured

PRIMARY AROMAS: Red currant, smoky white pepper, camphor, violet

FLAVOR: Bright dark berries, bright acidity, firm tannins

FORMAT: 750ml

ALCOHOL: 12%

SERVICE AND FOOD PAIRING SUGGESTION: If drinking this wine young, carafe it ahead of time. Pair with fatty and rich dishes, such as roasted meats or tartiflette (a baked casserole made with potatoes, reblochon cheese, lardons and onions.)

ABOUT THE PRODUCER: Jolie-Laide

“Jolie-Laide is a two-person operation based in Sebastopol. The name Jolie-Laide translates loosely to Pretty-Ugly, a French term of endearment to describe something that is unconventionally beautiful. Founded originally by Scott Schultz, and later joined by his partner Jenny Schultz, their winemaking method is simple: grapes are left whole cluster, foot crushed, and aged in neutral oak. All ferments are done with native yeasts, for both primary and secondary fermentations (no inoculation), and the musts tend to be low pH/high acid, allowing for no added SO2 at the press, and minimal at bottling (12-15 PPM free SO2 for the early drinking cuvees, 20-25 PPM free SO2 for bigger reds). They work with a handful of growers, all of whom farm organically (none certified); it is their ability to seek out spectacular vineyard sites which allows them to be hands off in the winemaking process.

“Scott’s passion for wine was ignited when he moved to Napa from Chicago in 2007. Scott began his transition into the winemaking world after a move to Napa for employment as Wine Director at Thomas Keller’s Bouchon in Napa Valley. As he explains, “everyone I met was a winemaker, so on my days off I followed people around to see what they were doing." Before he knew it, he had secured the cellar master job at Realm Winery. That was followed by working with Arnot-Roberts, and then joining Pax Mahle in the same capacity working on the Pax and Wind Gap labels. Scott’s passion for winemaking grew so significantly that he decided to start his own project, Jolie-Laide, in 2010. To this day, he shares a winemaking space with Pax and several other like-minded producers in Sebastopol.

“One feature to note – the labels change every year, featuring a different artist or art collective. “Our wines are a celebration of the year and seasons in which they are made, always unique and different, no two bottlings are ever the same.”

“Scott and Jenny’s approach is a natural one, a less is more ethos. But their keen eye for finding great fruit from only sustainably and responsibly-farmed sites, coupled with an impressive natural talent, lead to consistently delicious wines. As Scott says, ‘The do-nothing approach isn’t new by any means; it’s just funny how far many have gotten away from it.’”

ABOUT THE VINEYARD: Rancho Coda

On the western side of Dry Creek in Healdsburg.

ABOUT THE LABEL: The artwork is “Lily” by Sarah Jarret

ABOUT MONDEUSE NOIRE: “An ancient variety hailing from the mountainous alpine Savoie region, East of Burgundy in France. A distant relative, Mondeuse can share some of the more feral, floral, spice and game elements we adore in Syrah but with a more cranberry brightness. It carries acid and tannin in spades…” (jolielaidewines.com)