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Amplify

Mixtape Red 2021

Price: $28.95
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Tasting notes

Grenache Blanc in a red wine is a genuine oddity, and here it works: direct-to-press and co-fermented with Refosco, it adds texture and aromatic lift without diluting the savory core from the whole-cluster Tempranillo. Five months on undisturbed lees in neutral oak keeps the whole thing grounded and fresh rather than polished.

BodyFruitTanninAcidity
RedcurrantCranberryEarthDried Tea Leaves
  • Style: Dry, medium-bodied red; four-variety blend; savory and fresh; organically farmed Santa Barbara County fruit
  • Grapes & Terroir: 37% Tempranillo, 31% Grenache Blanc, 21% Refosco, 11% Merlot; Tres Hermanas Vineyard (dry-farmed, organic) and C5 Vineyard (organic); Santa Barbara County
  • Winemaking: Native yeast fermentation; stainless steel; Grenache Blanc and Refosco direct-to-press; Tempranillo 1/3 whole cluster; Merlot whole berry; 5 months neutral oak on undisturbed lees; minimal sulfur only
  • Serving: Serve at 58-62F; light chill acceptable; no decant required
  • Pairing: Roasted chicken, lamb meatballs, hard sheep's milk cheese, charcuterie
  • Similar To: For fans of lighter Rhone reds and whole-cluster Tempranillo who want something genuinely unusual

Mixtape Red is a four-variety blend sourced from two organically farmed Santa Barbara County vineyards. The Grenache Blanc (31%) and Refosco (21%) come from Tres Hermanas Vineyard on Foxen Canyon Road in the Santa Maria Valley, where vines are dry-farmed. The Tempranillo (37%) and Merlot (11%) come from C5 Vineyard, also organically farmed. The name fits: this is a wine built from an unconventional tracklist, mixing a white Rhone variety into a red blend alongside a Friulian grape and two Iberian and Bordeaux varieties.

Each variety was handled separately in the cellar. Grenache Blanc and Refosco were direct-to-press and co-fermented in stainless steel. Tempranillo went in one-third whole cluster, also in stainless. Merlot was destemmed and fermented as whole berry. All four components were then aged together in neutral oak for five months on undisturbed lees, with no fining, no filtering, and no additions beyond minimum effective sulfur.

The result is a medium-bodied red with noticeable freshness and a slightly savory edge from the Refosco and whole-cluster Tempranillo. The Grenache Blanc, unusually fermented as part of a red blend, contributes texture and lift rather than color. Native yeast fermentation across all lots is standard practice at Amplify, as is the use of entirely neutral vessels throughout aging.

The savory, higher-acid profile makes this a natural with food. Try it with roasted chicken thighs, lamb meatballs with tomato, or a hard sheep's milk cheese. It also handles charcuterie well, especially cured meats with some fat.

Wine details

Dry/Sweet:, Dry
Wine Type:, Red Wine
Wine Style:, Medium Body
Grapes:, Tempranillo, Grenache Blanc, Refosco, Merlot
Farming:, Organic
Vintage:, 2021
Alcohol:,
Country:, USA
Region:, Santa Barbara County
Appellation:, Santa Barbara County
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

Amplify

Cameron and Marlen (Sosa) Porter are the husband-and-wife team behind Amplify Wines, born and raised in Santa Barbara County. Cameron worked as an advanced sommelier and estates manager at Presqu'ile Winery in Santa Maria; Marlen worked her way up to general manager at several local wineries before they launched Amplify together in 2013, starting with 90 cases. The winery name comes from a song Cameron wrote as a teenager, and the music connection runs through the entire brand, from album-title wine names to their co-founding of Natural Action Wine Club.

Amplify sources grapes from organically and sustainably farmed vineyards across Santa Barbara County rather than owning or leasing land. For the Mixtape Red, fruit comes from two sites: Tres Hermanas Vineyard on Foxen Canyon Road in the Santa Maria Valley, which is both organically farmed and dry-farmed, and C5 Vineyard, organically farmed. The winery operates as a negociant, working closely with growers who share their commitment to low-intervention farming.

Amplify's winemaking principles are consistent across all wines: native yeast fermentation, neutral vessels for both fermentation and aging, and no additions of any kind beyond minimum effective sulfur dioxide. The Mixtape Red uses four distinct cellar approaches matched to each grape variety, then brings all four components together for five months of aging in neutral oak on undisturbed lees. The winery produces roughly 3,000 cases per year total across all wines.

Wine region

Santa Barbara County, USA

Santa Barbara County sits at the southern end of California's Central Coast AVA. Its defining geographic feature is a pair of transverse mountain ranges, the San Rafael Range and the Santa Ynez Mountains, that run east to west rather than north to south. This orientation creates a funnel that pulls cool, fog-laden air in from the Pacific Ocean, producing one of California's coolest grape-growing regions, with peak average temperatures between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit and nighttime lows dropping below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. The result is an unusually long growing season that allows grapes to develop full flavor and acidity at the same time.

The county contains seven federally recognized AVAs: Santa Maria Valley, Santa Ynez Valley, Sta. Rita Hills, Ballard Canyon, Los Olivos District, Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara, and Alisos Canyon. Soils across the county include sedimentary and alluvial types, with pockets of calcareous limestone and diatomaceous earth near the coast and silt, shale, gravel, and clay loams in the foothills. Elevations suited for viticulture range from roughly 200 feet in valley floors to over 3,000 feet on hillside sites. Pinot Noir dominates red plantings, followed by Syrah, while Chardonnay leads whites. The Santa Maria Valley, the northernmost AVA and California's second oldest, is home to Tres Hermanas Vineyard on Foxen Canyon Road, source of the Grenache Blanc and Refosco in this wine.

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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