Limited Editions

2023 van der Kamp Pinot Meunier

At 1,500 feet elevation on the north facing bench of Sonoma Mountain, van der Kamp vineyard is one of the oldest Pinot Meunier vineyards with plantings dating back to 1952. Its thin topsoil combined with loam, volcanic material and decomposed river bed leads to a more structured wine and a very unique terroir. It is farmed using environmentally sustainable practices.

$54

  • A lingering winter in 2023 pushed ot harvest into the first week of November in the upper reaches of the redwood-shaded portion of the vineyard. The pick was, as always, celebratory, with the La Follette and van der Kamp families and friends jointly picking into a 1-ton fermentor directly into the back of our winery truck, then sealed anaerobically and fermented “carbonic maceration” style.

  • Fickle, delicate and ebullient this wine has been pampered by careful handling through carbonic maceration and whole-cluster fermentation. It is floral and fragrant with maraschino cherry, dried herbs and tea-rose blossoms. At play on the palate are citrus zest, raspberry and confected fruit.

  • van der Kamp Vineyard, Sonoma Mountain, wild, whole cluster carbonic, 6 month in neutral oak, 12.8% Alcohol by Volume, 82 cases produced, <.01 residual sugar, 3.8 pH, 5.7 g/L TA, winemaker is Greg La Follette.

2022 Charbono, Frediani Vineyard, Calistoga

Charbono also known as Bonarda in Argentina and Corbeau in the Savoie region of France has been grown in Napa Valley since the 1940s. Today there are only a few Charbono vineyards left, mostly in Calistoga and the Frediani Vineyard is the crown jewel with vines dating back to 1940. Dry-farmed since the 1940s, this Charbono is distinct, refined and full-bodied. Best paired with great company, rollicking conversations and a hearty meal.

$68

  • 2022 was another drought year with spring frost followed by a late season heatwave and then rain which compressed our harvest window. We picked at the end of September and pressed whole cluster. Fermented with wild native yeasts and aged 17 months in 50% new oak barrels.

  • Aromas of dark cherries, black currant, baking spice and hints of tobacco. This wine is rich and full-bodied with good acidity and a lingering finish.

  • Frediani Vineyard, Calistoga, Napa Valley, 14.5% alc by vol., 3.69 pH, 5.9 g/L TA, Residual sugar <.03, 35 cases, Fermentation: Native wild yeasts aged 17 months in 50% new oak, Winemakers: Greg La Follette and Evan Damiano

2021 “Brut” Old Vine Sparkling Wine

We teamed with Craig Roemer and Billy Davies of Schramsberg to craft this unique sparkling wine from Russian River Valley, representing some of the oldest Colombard vines known to exist. With a dosage of 1.25 mL of Betty Ann brandy per bottle but no added residual sugar, this wine is a “zero brut” rendition of classic bubbles.

$55

  • The dry 2021 vintage allowed us to hang this fruit into the 4th week of October, highly unusual for California sparkling wine. Spring frosts reduced the crop, especially on the Betty Ann Vineyard, resulting in a concentrated harvest of small, open clusters with tiny berries.

  • With three months of the base wine on the native fermentation lees and 20 months en tirage, this sparkler shows the best of yeast autolysis brioche to play against the citrus notes of classic Colombard. The finish is long and bone-dry with fruit sweetness without any late sugar additions that would normally occur in sparkling wine. 1.25 mL per bottle of Betty Ann Brandy was used as the dosage, yielding an elegant mid-palate.

  • Wes Cameron Ranch, Russian River Valley with brandy dosage from Betty Ann Vineyard. 11.7% alc by vol., 3.12 pH, 7.07 g/L TA, Residual sugar <.05, 44 cases, Winemakers: Greg La Follette, Evan Damiano, Craig Roemer and Billy Davies.

  • The Marchelle sparkling wine is especially impressive: bone dry, a minimum dosage, without residual sugar, zesty bubbles, a hint of yeast and green apple, and an almost Champagne-like minerality. Its style is certainly California, but it’s leaner and zippier than many California sparklers.

    Jeff Siegel, Guildsomm, 2/4/24

2021 “Cynful” Late Harvest Pinot Noir

Dessert, late harvest, or sticky wines as they’re known down under, are a favorite of the Marchelle team. Luscious yet jubilant, Cynful pays tribute to our first wine club member, Cyndie and a nod to our growers, the van der Kamps, who make our dream of winemaking possible. From vine to glass, each person that touches this wine is part of the Marchelle family and also likely has Cynfully sticky fingers.

$65

Available to Club Members Only

  • The grapes were left to hang on the vines until the weather forced us to pick, soaking up to 33 Brix (% sugar). The wine was made in the traditional Porto style, including foot-treading and arresting the wine between 9 and 10% residual sugar. This was an optimal year for creating this wine, which included the collaboration of Malia and Ulysses van der Kamp to make this special late-harvest wine.

  • Seductively sweet and smooth with bouquets of dark cherries, spice and nutty caramel. It is fragrant with a rich palette displaying creamy texture and silky tannins.

  • van der Kamp vineyard, Sonoma Mountain, 18.0% Alcohol by Volume, 39 cases produced, <.01 residual sugar, 3.62 pH, 7.0 g/L TA, winemaker is Greg La Follette.