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De Levende

Genuine Blanc 2021

Price: $32.95
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Tasting notes

This is a Chardonnay that bears almost no resemblance to the oaked, buttery California archetype. Extended skin contact gives it a chalky, textural grip, while Redwood Valley's iron-rich soils and high-elevation cool nights keep the acidity sharp and the fruit focused on lemon and stone fruit rather than tropical weight. No sulfur, no filtration — what you get is the vineyard straight.

BodyFruitTanninAcidity
LemonWhite PeachSaline MineralHay
  • Style: Dry, light-bodied orange wine; amber hue; bright lemon, savory mid-palate, chalky minerals; no added sulfur
  • Grapes & Terroir: 100% Chardonnay; single vineyard, Redwood Valley AVA; iron-rich red soils; ~800ft elevation; organically farmed
  • Winemaking: Skin-contact maceration; native yeast fermentation; unfined and unfiltered; no sulfur additions
  • Serving: Serve at 50-54F; no decant needed; enjoy within 1-2 years of vintage
  • Pairing: Oysters, cured fish, white bean dishes, soft-rind cheese, pork rillettes
  • Similar To: For fans of skin-contact whites who want California terroir without the tropical weight

Genuine Blanc is a skin-contact Chardonnay sourced from a single vineyard in Redwood Valley, Mendocino County. Redwood Valley sits at roughly 800 feet elevation, with iron-rich red soils and significant diurnal temperature swings driven by cool Pacific air funneling through a gap in the coastal ridge. The fruit is farmed organically with zero additions in the cellar.

The wine is vinified by Alex Pomerantz of Subject to Change Wine Co. (operating as SC Cellars) in Forestville, California. It is fermented with native yeasts, bottled unfined and unfiltered, and released with no added sulfur.

De Levende is a label created by The Soil Expedition, a Los Angeles-based natural wine importer. The project focuses on California fruit handled with the same zero-intervention philosophy The Soil Expedition applies to the European producers it represents.

On the palate, expect bright lemon, a savory mid-palate, chalky mineral texture, and gentle powdery tannins from the extended skin contact. The wine is light-bodied and refreshing with the structure that skin contact lends without overwhelming weight.

The savory mid-palate and chalky tannins work well with cured fish, oysters, or white bean dishes with herbs. Also a natural match for soft-rind cheeses and grain salads with bright vinaigrette. The wine's acidity can cut through fattier preparations like pork rillettes or chicken liver mousse.

Wine details

Dry/Sweet:, Dry
Wine Type:, Orange Wine
Wine Style:, Light Body
Grapes:, Chardonnay
Farming:, Organic
Vintage:, 2021
Alcohol:, N/A
Country:, United States
Region:, Mendocino County
Appellation:, Redwood Valley AVA
Bottle Size:, 750ml
Sugar Level:, Zero Added Sugar

We will process and ship your order in 2-3 business days, you will receive a shipping confirmation email with tracking as soon as the Carrier scans the shipping label.

Ground shipping time depends on location, here's a breakdown:

West Coast: 1-2 business days
Midwest: 3-4 business days
East Coast: 5 business days

Process time is not shipping time. Shipping time starts from the days successive to the day of shipping, after the order has been processed.

See here our shipping policy.


Important Compliance Requirements

FedEx and other carriers we might occasionally use can only deliver wine to customers who are 21 years or older. Someone must be at the address to receive the package, carriers don't just drop a package and leave. They must ensure the person receiving the wine is 21 or older.


Re-shipping a Package

If a package is returned to us after three failed delivery attempts, we can only re-ship the wine upon payment of a re-shipping fee, to be determined based on the shipping address and number of bottles. Shipping wine is extremely expensive. We are sorry about this, but we have no other choice. Please make sure there's always someone at the address you enter as your shipping address.

If you'd like to receive a refund for a package that was returned to us after FedEx made three delivery attempts, we can do that but we must keep a $20 refund fee; FedEx charges us a lot of money for returns, unfortunately, I can't stress this enough.


Re-routing a Package

If you'd like to reroute a package after it's been shipped, we can do so for a $20 re-routing fee. We cannot re-route a package across state borders. For any change of address, please contact us as soon as possible, ideally within 1-2 days from placing the order or we cannot guarantee we'll be able to reroute or change your order's shipping address.


Canceling an Order

If you'd like to cancel an order after it's been shipped, we can do so upon payment of a small cancellation fee – the amount depends on the size of the order. Carriers charge us a lot of money to recall a package en-route.


Heat/Frost damage

We are not responsible for heat- or frost-related issues. We offer ice-packs upon request. Please let us know if you think that there could be heat-related issues. If we don't hear anything from you regarding weather issues before an order is shipped, or if you don't request a hold due to the weather, we are not responsible for heat/frost damage.


Placed an order. What next?

1. You will receive an order confirmation email with your order summary.*

2. As soon as your order ships from the warehouse, usually within 2-3 business days, this applies to all shipping rates, you will receive a shipping confirmation email with your tracking information. 2DAY shipping refers to shipping time; we still need 2-3 business days to prepare an order. We need to pick and pack, QA, add printed collateral, and palletize the orders.

3. Please track your package using the tracking service.

4. The carrier will attempt delivery a maximum of 3 times. After 3 delivery attempts, your package will be sent back to our warehouse.**

*Please ensure your email address is correct; otherwise, you will not receive the order and shipping confirmation emails.

**If delivery is attempted 3 times without success, or if you fail to retrieve your package from the carrier depot by the stated deadline, the shipping fee will not be refunded to the customer.

Returns Policy

If you are not satisfied with your purchase, please contact us at (424) 414-2040 or via e-mail at hello@primalwine.com between 9 am and 5 pm Pacific Standard Time, Monday through Sunday, we would like to understand and try to solve your concerns. We can offer refunds only as store credit.

Producer profile

De Levende

De Levende is a label created by The Soil Expedition, a California-based natural wine importer and distributor that works primarily with European producers from France, Italy, Portugal, Switzerland, and Austria. The Soil Expedition's philosophy holds that wine quality is tied to the health of the soil it comes from, and that wines should be made with no additives and minimal intervention in the cellar.

The Genuine Blanc is vinified by Alex Pomerantz of Subject to Change Wine Co., which operates under the bonded name SC Cellars in Forestville, California. Pomerantz founded Subject to Change in 2017 with a focus on responsibly farmed, single-vineyard California sites. The winery uses native yeast fermentation exclusively, with no fining, no filtration, and no added sulfur across its entire range.

Genuine Blanc sources 100% Chardonnay from a single vineyard in Redwood Valley. The grapes undergo skin contact to produce the wine's amber color and textural grip. Organic farming is standard across the project, and zero additions are made from vineyard to bottle.

Wine region

Mendocino County, United States

Mendocino County sits in Northern California's North Coast AVA and contains thirteen sub-appellations. It is divided into two distinct climate zones by the Mendocino Range: the fog-cooled western valleys like Anderson Valley, suited to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, and the warmer inland valleys to the east, including Redwood Valley, better known for Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon. Mendocino leads California in certified organic viticulture, with nearly 25% of its vineyard acres farmed organically.

Redwood Valley AVA sits about 800 feet above the Ukiah Valley floor, with red, iron-rich rocky soils that drain freely and stress vines into producing concentrated, small-berried fruit. Cool Pacific air enters through a gap in the coastal ridge, driving significant diurnal temperature variation that preserves acidity and extends the ripening window. A substantial share of Redwood Valley growers farm organically, and the AVA has historically been home to some of California's earliest organic and biodynamic producers.

Frequently asked question

We will process and ship your order in 2-3 business days, you will receive a shipping confirmation email with tracking as soon as the Carrier scans the shipping label.

Ground shipping time depends on location, here's a breakdown:

West Coast: 1-2 business days
Midwest: 3-4 business days
East Coast: 5 business days

Process time is not shipping time. Shipping time starts from the days successive to the day of shipping, after the order has been processed.

See here our shipping policy.

Signature on delivery is mandatory for wine deliveries. Please make sure someone is at the shipping address to sign for the package.

If applicable, please consider delivering the package to a business address to ensure someone is available to sign for the package.

We also have the option of delivering the package to a Carrier's store for pickup. Please reach out to us to coordinate.

Carrier will try to delivery a package up to three times before returning the package to us.

See here our shipping policy.

If you miss a delivery and a package gets returned to us we have two options:

1) Reship the package right away: due to the very high cost of shipping and returns, we must charge a re-shipping fee to be determined based on package size and shipping destination.

2) Consolidate the returned package with your next order: this option is free of charge and it's the most popular option.

See here our shipping policy.

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Natural wine is a type of wine made in small batches from organic or biodynamic grapes with minimal intervention.
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Biodynamic wine is wine made from grapes farmed biodynamically. Biodynamic farming is a holistic approach.
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Vegan wine is wine made without using animal products during the fining phase of the clarification process.