Tendu Cortese, Clarksburg, California 2020

From our November 2024 Bottle Club Notes:

     Tendu is a project by the innovative Steve Matthiasson, who crafts wines of great quality and value from organic vineyards. For Steve and his wife, Jill, winemaking is a natural extension of their farming ethos. The couple has spent years in sustainable agriculture and the local food movement. An avid gardener and cook, Steve began his journey in viticulture in 1994 while in grad school for horticulture, working for a small sustainable agriculture consulting firm. By 1999, he had co-authored the California manual on sustainable vineyard practices, and since 2002, he has consulted on vineyard practices in Napa—a passion he continues to pursue.
     Jill’s focus has always been on the intersection of nature and culture. With a background in botany from Penn, she conducted research on ancient farming techniques in Israel and studied traditional methods for soil health in grad school at UC Davis. In the early '90s, she pioneered “farmer-to-farmer” networking for sustainability while working for a family farming non-profit. Together, Steve and Jill launched Matthiasson Wines in 2003, rooted in these shared values. Their wines showcase classical expressions of both familiar grape varieties like Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, as well as lesser-known grapes such as Ribolla Gialla and Refosco. These wines are crafted to be refreshing, food-friendly, and moderate in alcohol.
     Cortese (kor-TEH-zeh), native to Piemonte in northwest Italy, has flourished in that region since at least the 17th century. Known as the grape behind Gavi—one of Piedmont’s finest whites—this California Cortese is sourced from the Lost Slough Vineyard in Clarksburg. Located in the southernmost part of the Clarksburg AVA near the historic Chinese settlement of Locke, this site benefits from cool summer nights, helping the grapes retain vibrant acidity. All vineyards are farmed organically. The grapes were whole-cluster pressed and settled overnight, with fermentation occurring entirely through native yeasts in neutral oak barrels. The wine underwent native malolactic fermentation, and was bottled unfined and unfiltered, with only minimal SO2 added prior to bottling.
     This light-bodied white wine is bright and refreshing, with aromas of citrus fruits and roasted almonds leading into flavors of green apple, melon, and white peach. A sweeping minerality and delicate mouthfeel make it a perfect pairing with winter oysters and king crab legs. —Karen Smith