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Methode Sauvage

Bloom Phase Red 2018

Price: $26.95
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Tasting notes

Whole cluster Pinot Gris as the backbone of a red wine is a genuinely unusual move, and here it works: the wine has the color of a dark rosé, the structure of a light red, and the aromatic lift of a skin-contact white all at once. Redcurrant, lilac, dry herbs, and a peppery finish make it one of the more distinctive California bottles in this price range.

BodyFruitTanninAcidity
RedcurrantBlack PepperWildflowersStone Fruit
  • Style: Light-bodied red; pale ruby; peppery, tropical, and red-fruited; 12.5% ABV; serve with a slight chill
  • Grapes & Terroir: 70% Pinot Gris (whole cluster), 20% Syrah, 10% Grenache; Calaveras County, Sierra Foothills AVA; red clay and gravelly slopes over decomposed granite and volcanic soils, 1,500-2,400ft elevation
  • Winemaking: Native yeast fermentation; whole cluster Pinot Gris; no added sulfites (<10mg/L); unfined; unfiltered; aged in old oak and stainless steel
  • Serving: Serve at 55-60F; no decant needed; works as a light red, dark rosé, or skin-contact white depending on preference
  • Pairing: Charcuterie, grilled salmon, roasted chicken, tomato-braised lentils, light mushroom pasta
  • Similar To: For fans of Gamay, Trousseau, and skin-contact whites who want something genuinely category-defying

Bloom Phase is Methode Sauvage's take on the lighter, high-toned reds of the Southern Rhone. The 2018 is built around 70% whole cluster fermented Pinot Gris from Calaveras County in the Sierra Foothills, with 20% Syrah and 10% Grenache rounding out the blend. Pinot Gris, fermented on its skins with whole clusters, pulls double duty here: it gives the wine its pale ruby color, its aromatic lift, and the grip you'd expect from a red.

Calaveras County sits in the Sierra Foothills AVA east of the San Joaquin Valley, with vineyards planted at 1,500 to 2,400 feet on red clay and gravelly slopes over decomposed granite and volcanic soils. Warm days and cold nights driven by alpine air off the Sierra Nevada preserve acidity and keep the wine fresh despite the region's warm growing season.

Chad Hinds vinifies with native yeast, no added sulfites, and leaves the wine unfined and unfiltered. The result lands somewhere between a light red, a dark rosé, and a skin-contact white depending on how you serve it. Hinds describes it as the choose-your-own-adventure of red wines, and that framing is accurate.

At 12.5% ABV, Bloom Phase is an easy-reach bottle best served with a slight chill. The wine is bone dry, with lively acidity, a peppery and tropical nose, and a crunchy red fruit core that finishes clean.

Serve slightly chilled alongside charcuterie, grilled salmon, or roasted chicken with herbs. The wine's brightness and low tannin also make it a good match for dishes with some acidity, like tomato-braised lentils or a light mushroom pasta.

Wine details

Dry/Sweet:, Dry
Wine Type:, Red Wine
Wine Style:, Light Body
Grapes:, Pinot Gris, Syrah, Grenache
Farming:, Organic
Vintage:, 2018
Alcohol:, 12.5%
Country:, United States
Region:, Calaveras County, California
Appellation:, Sierra Foothills 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

Methode Sauvage

Methode Sauvage was started in 2013 by Chad Hinds in Berkeley, California as a nomadic natural wine project. The name translates to 'The Wild Method.' Hinds initially focused on finding a voice for California Cabernet Franc and Chenin Blanc sourced from vineyards across the state, including San Benito County, the Russian River Valley, and the Santa Cruz Mountains.

In 2018, Hinds and his wife Michelle Westbrook Hinds began planting a vineyard in Siskiyou County in the Shasta-Cascade mountains, applying permaculture methods drawn from Japanese farmer and philosopher Masanobu Fukuoka. That project eventually became Iruai Winery, the name under which Methode Sauvage now operates. The farming philosophy centers on minimal intervention in the vineyard, with organic and biodynamic practices used but without formal certification.

Across all Methode Sauvage wines, Hinds ferments with native yeast, adds no sulfites, and bottles the wines unfined and unfiltered. The Bloom Phase line has been produced across multiple vintages with varying grape blends, always anchored by whole cluster or skin-contact Pinot Gris paired with Southern Rhone varieties. The goal across all wines is to channel site character without additives or corrective winemaking.

Wine region

Calaveras County, California, United States

Calaveras County lies east of the San Joaquin Valley at the base of the Sierra Nevada, within the broad Sierra Foothills AVA. Vineyards here are planted at elevations ranging from 1,500 to 2,400 feet on red clay and gravelly slopes over decomposed granite and volcanic soils. The region sits roughly 110 miles from the cooling influence of San Francisco Bay, making it one of the warmer inland growing areas, but cold air flowing down from the Sierra Nevada peaks at night creates a meaningful diurnal swing that preserves acidity in the grapes.

Calaveras does not have its own sub-AVA, but it falls within the Sierra Foothills AVA alongside Amador, El Dorado, and Nevada counties. The warm days and cool nights support a range of varieties: Rhone grapes like Syrah, Grenache, and Viognier perform well here, as do Italian varieties like Barbera and Nebbiolo. Calaveras has a winemaking history that dates back to the Gold Rush of the 1850s, and the region has seen renewed interest from small natural wine producers sourcing fruit from its granite and volcanic soils.

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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