{"title":"La Clarine Farm","description":"\u003cp\u003eHank Beckmeyer left his band Half Japanese in Europe in the 1980s to stay with Caroline Hoel, and the two spent the next decade drinking Bandol, dreaming of what they would do with land. In 2001 they found their answer: ten acres at 2,600 feet in Somerset, El Dorado County.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHank and Caroline planted their first vines in 2001 and produced their inaugural vintage in 2007 -- 75 cases from three barrels. They were early proponents of natural farming in California's Sierra Foothills at a time when the region was barely a footnote in the state's wine conversation. Production grew to around 2,500 cases as they added fruit from other organically farmed foothill sites.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMore on how they farm and work in the cellar in our \u003ca href=\"\/blogs\/natural-wine-producers-primal-wine\/la-clarine-farm\"\u003eLa Clarine Farm producer profile\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"mo-ma-la-clarine-farm-sierra-foothills-red-wine-2017","title":"La Clarine Farm Mo-Ma 2017","description":"\u003cp\u003eMo-Ma is short for Mourvedre-Marsanne, and the name tells you exactly what this wine is: a co-ferment of a red and a white grape from high-elevation Sierra Foothills vineyards. The 2017 blend is 61% Mourvedre, 32% Marsanne, and 7% Roussanne, the latter added because the Marsanne crop came in lighter than usual that year. Grapes were picked on September 21st at 18.5 Brix with a pH of 3.60. Only 257 cases were produced.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe color sits in an ambiguous zone between pale red and deep rose. On the nose: earthy and mineral, with cherry, vanilla, plum, and grape skin. On the palate it is light-bodied, savory, and herbal, with a core of fresh acidity. Very fine tannins appear at the finish alongside a peppery sensation. At 10.5% ABV, this is a low-alcohol wine with real structure.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe 2017 vintage in the Sierra Foothills was marked by lower alcohols and lower yields compared to the prior few years, which shows in the wine's restrained, precise character. Hank Beckmeyer ferments with native yeasts, uses neutral vessels, and bottles unfined and unfiltered with minimal added sulfur. The co-fermentation of red and white grapes is intentional, and the result drinks more like a savory, mineral-driven red than a conventional California blend.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eServe slightly chilled, around 55-58F, to bring out the spicy and herbal notes. The wine evolves noticeably as it warms in the glass.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"La Clarine Farm","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":12651666276407,"sku":"LACLMOMA16C","price":24.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0019\/3363\/9735\/files\/mo-ma-la-clarine-farm-sierra-foothills-red-wine-2017.jpg?v=1780673831"},{"product_id":"sumu-kaw-syrah-la-clarine-farm-sierra-foothills-california-natural-wine","title":"La Clarine Farm Sumu Kaw Syrah 2016","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe 2016 Sumu Kaw Syrah reminds me very much of the 2014, and somewhat of the 2010. It seems very “together” for such a young wine, very expressive. It shows classic Syrah notes - smoke, herbs, bacon fat, olives - but with its distinctive California twist. The fruits are richer and darker in tone - blackberries!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStructurally, the wine differs from the 2014 in that it is built for aging (here it resembles the 2010), with firm tannins and a juicy acidity. And age it will, with proper storage. This is our 9th vintage of this Syrah from the Sumu Kaw Vineyard, and tasting back to 2008, none of the previous years are tasting old or weak. So, although I heartily encourage you drink a bottle (or two) now, please feel free to stash away a few more bottles to explore in the coming years. For near-term drinking, you may want to decant the wine for a few hours, but it’s not a necessity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e100% whole cluster fermented Syrah, foot crushed, aged in puncheon and tank. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. 12.8% abv. 250 cases made.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"La Clarine Farm","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":13348345970743,"sku":"LACLSUMU17C","price":34.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0019\/3363\/9735\/products\/la-clarine-sumu-kaw-syrah.jpg?v=1780187712"},{"product_id":"petit-manseng-la-clarine-farm-california-natural-wine","title":"La Clarine Farm Petit Manseng 2018","description":"\u003cp\u003eLa Clarine Farm's 2018 Petit Manseng comes from the Fenaughty Vineyard in El Dorado County, Sierra Foothills, where the vines grow in volcanic loam soil at 2,900 feet elevation. Petit Manseng produces characteristically small, thick-skinned, loosely bunched berries with an unusually high skin-to-juice ratio — a trait that concentrates flavor while keeping the yields extremely low.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWinemaker Hank Beckmeyer pressed the grapes very gently into flextanks, where fermentation proceeded spontaneously with ambient yeasts. The wine completed malolactic fermentation, fell clear naturally, and was bottled without fining or filtration. A small addition of sulfites was made at bottling. The color is a deep gold-green.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePetit Manseng is a grape native to the Pyrenees foothills, where it is the backbone of sweet Jurançon — but La Clarine's version is vinified dry. The variety's defining characteristic is its ability to accumulate sugar while holding extraordinary levels of acidity, which here translates into a dry wine with cut, concentration, and real aging potential. Beckmeyer notes the wine can age 5 to 8 years from vintage.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFarming on the organically managed Fenaughty Vineyard follows minimal-intervention principles consistent with La Clarine's broader philosophy, which draws on the 'do nothing' methods of farmer-philosopher Masanobu Fukuoka.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"La Clarine Farm","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":13540903944247,"sku":"LACLPMAN18C","price":33.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0019\/3363\/9735\/files\/petit-manseng-la-clarine-farm-california-natural-wine.jpg?v=1780662279"},{"product_id":"funky-drummer-red-blend-la-clarine-farm-syrah-grenache-natural-wine","title":"La Clarine Farm Funky Drummer Red Blend 2017","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe Funky Drummer is sourced entirely from Cedarville Vineyard in El Dorado County, where Syrah, Grenache, and Counoise grow on decomposed granite soils at roughly 2,500 feet elevation. The fruit was harvested in two separate picks: Syrah came in first, followed by the Grenache and Counoise. The Grenache and Counoise were co-fermented together, then blended into the Syrah at pressing.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAll three varieties were whole-cluster fermented with ambient yeast, then aged in a combination of tank and small barrel. No temperature control. The finished wine comes in at 12.5% ABV, a direct result of the high-elevation site and Hank Beckmeyer's preference for picking before sugars climb too high.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe blend breaks down as 69% Syrah, 29% Grenache, and 6% Counoise. The Syrah provides the structural backbone; the Grenache adds lift and red fruit; the Counoise, a southern Rhone blending grape prized for its high acidity and peppery spice, acts as a brightening agent, tightening the finish and extending the aromatic profile without asserting itself as a dominant note.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eLa Clarine Farm farms organically and without additions during fermentation, adding only a minimal dose of sulfur at bottling.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"La Clarine Farm","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":14297654526007,"sku":"LACLFUNK18C","price":30.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0019\/3363\/9735\/files\/funky-drummer-red-blend-la-clarine-farm-syrah-grenache-natural-wine.jpg?v=1780666003"},{"product_id":"al-basc-orange-albarino-la-clarine-farm-natural-wine","title":"La Clarine Farm Al Basc Orange 2019","description":"\u003cp\u003eAl Basc is 100% Albariño sourced from Rorick Heritage Vineyard in Calaveras County, situated at 2,000 feet elevation on limestone soils beneath a layer of schist. The vineyard is organically farmed by Matthew Rorick, near the town of Murphys in the Sierra Foothills. The name 'Al Basc' references a conversation Hank Beckmeyer had with winemaker Eric Texier about the nature of six to seven month skin macerations, which led him to try the technique with Albariño.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe grapes were whole cluster fermented in an open-top vessel with seven months of skin maceration. Fermentation was spontaneous, with no temperature control, no added sulfur, no fining, and no filtration. The result is a deeply hazy, golden-amber wine with genuine textural weight from the extended skin contact.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn the glass, expect aromas of wildflowers, Meyer lemon zest, dried hay, and crushed rocks. The palate delivers salted yellow plum, tangerine, and tart lemon, finishing with a chalky minerality that reflects the limestone soils of Rorick Vineyard. The low ABV of 10.9% keeps it light on its feet despite the skin contact structure.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDecant briefly before serving to allow any reduction to blow off. Best consumed at cool cellar temperature around 55F.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"La Clarine Farm","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":37234219876551,"sku":"LACLALVA19C","price":33.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0019\/3363\/9735\/products\/la-clarine-farm-albarino-orange-natural-wine-primal-wine.jpg?v=1630818852"},{"product_id":"chardonnay-skin-contact-la-clarine-farm","title":"La Clarine Farm Chardonnay Skin-Contact 2020","description":"\u003cp\u003eLa Clarine Farm Chardonnay Skin-Contact is a natural wine made from 100% Chardonnay grapes farmed organically in the Sierra Foothills of California. This is an incredibly dynamic skin-contact wine, with high acidity and a freshness rare to find in macerated wines. Great structure and mid-palate.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"La Clarine Farm","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43827708854488,"sku":"laclarinefarm-chard","price":35.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0019\/3363\/9735\/files\/la-clarine-farm-chardonnay-natural-wine-primal-wine.jpg?v=1718499162"},{"product_id":"zinfandel-la-clarine-farm-natural-wine","title":"La Clarine Farm Zinfandel 2019","description":"\u003cp\u003eLa Clarine Farm Zinfandel 2019 is a natural wine made from 100% Zinfandel grapes farmed organically in the Sierra Foothills of California. Zinfandel like you've never tried it before. This is the furthest thing from jammy fruit-forward California Zin. Tamardin, cola, small berries, a balsamic note; fantastic wine.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"La Clarine Farm","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43827715866840,"sku":"laclarinefarm-zinfandel-2047","price":33.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0019\/3363\/9735\/files\/la-clarine-farm-zinfandel-california-natural-wine-primal-wine.jpg?v=1718499156"},{"product_id":"recliner-el-dorado-red-la-clarine-farm","title":"La Clarine Farm Recliner El Dorado Red 2020","description":"\u003cp\u003eNatural wine red wine made from a blend of red and white grapes farmed organically in Somerset, California. Spontaneous fermentation with ambient yeast, bottled unfined, unfiltered, with no added sulfites. A side project, almost secret, by La Clarine Farm.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"La Clarine Farm","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43829247672536,"sku":"laclarinefarm-recliner","price":26.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0019\/3363\/9735\/files\/la-clarine-farm-recliner-natural-wine-primal-wine.jpg?v=1718499147"}],"url":"https:\/\/primalwine.com\/collections\/la-clarine-farm.oembed","provider":"Primal Wine","version":"1.0","type":"link"}