New spring wines hint at extraordinary 2023 vintage in California

“The vintage of a lifetime.” “Truly noteworthy.” “Phenomenal.” “Legendary.”

These are just some of the ways winemakers have described the 2023 wine-growing season, which many predict will result in a wealth of extraordinary wines.

Abundant winter rains followed by cool temperatures and plentiful sunshine in the spring and summer meant long hang times for most wine grapes, with harvest running up to a month behind in some areas.

During the season, cooler temperatures preserved acid levels and the sun gave rise to sugars, ample time on the vine encouraged deep complexity. Many winemakers agree 2023 will be a vintage to remember.

While many red wines from 2023 are still in barrel or tank, white wines, rosés and pét-nats are popping up like daisies, offering the first taste of what most consider a vintage to remember.

Here are The Press Democrat’s picks for some of the most delicious spring releases of 2024:

Portalupi 2023 Vermentino, Las Brisas Vineyard, Carneros ($38): When I tasted this wine blind at the North Coast Wine Challenge, I was immediately taken by its luscious aromas of white jasmine, pineapple guava and tart green apple, followed by a burst of lime and white peach on the palate.

Traditionally grown on the windswept coasts of Italy’s Sardinia and Liguria, Vermentino thrives in the Sonoma Carneros AVA, where the Las Brisas Vineyard produces remarkable fruit each year. Double Gold and Best of Class winner at the 2024 North Coast Wine Challenge. Portalupiwine.com

Jolie-Laide 2023 Scheurebe, Napa Valley ($38): Native to Germany and Austria, scheurebe is a cross between riesling and bukettraube, with a plush ripeness that’s counterbalanced by a nerve of acidity. Extremely rare in California, Jolie Laide sources scheurebe from a vineyard in St. Helena, which was planted by a German winemaker in the 1970s.

Fermented in a concrete egg and stainless steel, the wine underwent six months of aging in neutral oak. The result bursts forth with lemon blossoms and jasmine tea, with wet rock minerality and electric acidity. Jolielaidewines.com

The Grenachista 2023 Grenache Noir, Pétillant Naturel, Dry Creek Valley ($32): This sparkling rosé from The Grenachista was another favorite at the 2024 North Coast Wine Challenge, where winemaker Casey Graybehl took home a Double Gold for this delightful expression of the grenache noir grape.

This fun pétillant-naturel sings with juicy strawberry aromas, followed by notes of raspberry, candied ginger, dried cranberries and a shell of minerality. Perfect for a spring picnic or Memorial Day barbecue. Thegrenachista.com

Ridge Vineyards 2023 Lytton Estate Rosé, Dry Creek Valley ($35): A seamless blend of organic grenache, zinfandel, mataro, cinsault and counoise join hands in this gorgeous rosé from Ridge Vineyards’ Lytton Springs estate in Dry Creek Valley. Picked in seven distinct lots and pressed separately, this wine is brimming with flavor and complexity.

Inspired by the lighter, Provençal-style rosés of France, Ridge Vineyards’ rosé offers notes of peach, rose petals, strawberry and watermelon, with a kiss of acidity on the finish. Highly recommended. Ridgewine.com

Ra Ra Wine Co. 2023 Melon de Bourgogne, Alexander Valley ($26): Grown primarily in France’s Loire Valley where it’s known as muscadet, melon de Bourgogne produces lean, light-bodied white wines with vivacious acidity. This version from Ra Ra Wine Co. was produced with fruit from Robert Young Vineyards in Alexander Valley, which makes up half the acreage of the entire North Coast AVA.

Fermented and stored in stainless steel to retain its fresh, fruity, floral aromas, Ra Ra’s melon offers a tropical twist of citrus blossom on the nose followed by notes of ripe stone fruit, sea spray and snappy acidity. Karamariewines.com

Winery Sixteen 600 2023 Rosé a Galet, Sonoma Valley ($39): Certified-organic grenache and mourvèdre are the featured marriage in this certified-delicious 2023 rosé from Winery Sixteen 600 in Sonoma, where winemakers Phil and Sam Coturri work their magic.

The fruit was sourced from the Moon Mountain District of Sonoma Valley, where most of the high-elevation vineyards receive ample sun, but also the crosswinds off San Pablo Bay. The result is a wine that exudes freshness and acidity, with bursts of watermelon, strawberry and ruby red grapefruit. Winerysixteen600.com

Terah Wine Co. 2023 Agua Fresca Piquette, California ($23): With biodynamic sangiovese from Lodi, grenache from Gilroy and ancient vine muscat from Lime Kiln Valley, winemaker Terah Bajjalieh shines with her extraordinary 2023 Agua Fresca piquette.

Produced from the second pressings of grape pomace (the seeds, stems and skins), this piquette is low in alcohol, lightly fizzy and just plain fun. Expect notes of strawberry lemonade, juicy red berries and white flowers, with a touch of tannin and bright acid for structure. Terahwineco.com

You can reach Staff Writer Sarah Doyle at 707-521-5478 or sarah.doyle@pressdemocrat.com. Follow Sarah on Instagram at @whiskymuse.