DIRTY & ROWDY
PAST WINES
Notes from the 2017 Vintage: It would be an understatement to say things went horribly wrong for Hardy during the 2017 vintage. Right at the beginning of harvest, he lost his sight, first in one eye, then in both. It returned after nearly two weeks, but they were already behind. Then came the first heat-spike. Temperatures climbed to an astonishing 46º for four days which exacerbated the vines. Hardy’s brother-in-law decided to come down and help manage the chaos but tragically died in a car crash en route. Grief stricken and ill, they persevered through another ludicrous heat spike. Then came the fires. Hardy, along with his wife and daughter had to abandon the winery and head to safety while wines were mid ferment. When they returned eight days later, the wines were fucked. Virtually every wine was stuck mid ferment or had ridiculous levels of volatile acidity. They tried to file an insurance claim and sell off the wine in bulk but were denied. “To stay in business, we had to roll up our sleeves and make the wines”. They restarted the stuck fermentations, volatile acidity was removed with reverse osmosis, and the wines were filtered. Winemaking is never easy, but few people have had to face the challenges Hardy did last year. I adore this charismatic, gifted, humble, and uplifting weirdo more than I can express in words.
2018 SKIN & CONCRETE SEMILLON
This cuvée is a celebration of the uniqueness and beauty of Semillon, one of California’s unsung heroes. The grapes were harvested relatively early at roughly 18-20 Brix. 70% of the grapes were destemmed and fermented on skins for 24 days. 10% was fermented as whole clusters for 15 days before being pressed off. The remainder was direct pressed to concrete egg. It was eventually bottled unfined, and unfiltered. 11% ABV
2018 FAMILIAR MOURVEDRE
This cuvée is Hardy’s introduction to Mourvèdre. It is a multi-vineyard blend spanning Monterey, Mendocino, Contra Costa, El Dorado, and Amador Counties. Each of the vineyards is farmed organically. This year, thanks to less substantial heat spikes, they were able to let the fruit hang longer to obtain extra intensity and depth. This wine was fermented in open-top vat with 100% stem inclusion. It was raised in neutral barrel before being bottled, unfined and unfiltered. Hardy uses NomaCorc on this cuvée to ensure the wines are TCA free. 13.2% ABV
2017 UNFAMILIAR MOURVEDRE
This cuvée is a blend from all of Hardy’s best vineyard sites: Shake Ridge Ranch, Rodnick Farm (formerly Antle), Skinner Vineyards, Rosewood, Wonderment Rd., Alder Springs, and Brosseau. Mourvèdre (85%), Syrah (10%) and Grenache (5%) were co-fermented with 100% stem inclusion. Volatile acidity was reduced by reverse osmosis and the wine was lightly filtered before bottling. It is sealed under a recyclable, carbon neutral, plant based NomaCorc. 12.5% ABV. (1971 Cases Produced)
2016 PETITE SIRAH
Hardy’s daughter Maple was born in 2016 and he wanted to make a special cuvée just for her. He decided to use a tiny vineyard in St. Helena (Napa Valley) as his muse. The Petite Sirah vines are planted in sandy clay loam. Whole-clusters are fermented in open top tank for a short period of time before being pressed off into 5-8-year-old French oak barrels. After a long élevage, the wine is racked once and bottled. 13.5% ABV
2016 ANTLE MOURVEDRE
Way up in the Gabilan Mountains, in the Chalone AVA, you’ll find Hardy’s prized Antle Vineyard. This organically farmed site is 1700ft above sea level on limestone and granite. The wine is fermented as whole-clusters in open-top tank. Élevage takes place in 5-8-year-old French oak barrels before being racked and bottled, unfined and unfiltered. 12.6% ABV
2015 SKINNER STONEY CREEK MOURVÈDRE
Skinner Stoney Creek Vineyard is located just east of Sacramento in the foothills of El Dorado County. At a dizzying 2400’ the vines thrive in decomposed granite as well as loam and sandstone. Farming has been organic here for a couple years now. Whole clusters and indigenous yeasts were used during fermentation. As always, additives were avoided like the plague and the wine was bottled unfined and unfiltered with minimal SO2. 12.3% ABV (83 Cases Produced)
2014 SHAKE RIDGE RANCH MOURVÈDRE
Amadour County is located just south and east of Sacramento in the Sierra Foothills and is home to the highly revered Shake Ridge Ranch Vineyard. It is roughly 2000’ above sea level and features decomposed granite soils as well as a plethora of large rocks like soapstone and quartz. The vineyard has been organic since 2013. Whole clusters and indigenous yeasts were used during fermentation. As per usual, additives were avoided and the wine was bottled unfined and unfiltered with minimal SO2. (Matthew Rorick sources Barbera from this vineyard for his San Hercurmer Delle Frecce cuvée) 13% ABV (291 Cases Produced)
2015 FAMILIAR MOURVÈDRE
The grapes for this cuvée come from a half dozen vineyards ranging from Santa Barbara to Amador County. Half of the vineyards are sustainable and the other half are organic. The wine was completely whole cluster fermented with indigenous yeasts; including the stems adds freshness and an herbal spice. No additives were used during winemaking. The wine was bottled unfined and unfiltered with minimal SO2. They use NomaCorcs to seal the Familiar because this closure is carbon neutral and recyclable, yet breaths like a traditional cork. 12.7% ABV (1087 Cases Produced)