Mettler Family Vineyards Estate Grown Petite Sirah Lodi 2020 (750ml)

At Mettler Family Vineyards we strive to create a wine of both exceptional quality and consistency.  Farming wine grapes in Lodi for six generations, we are committed to caring for the land with reverence and integrity.  Many of our vineyards are farmed organically and sustainably, because we feel it is important to give back to the land to keep it viable for many generations to come.

 

Mettler Family Vineyards

 

Estate Grown Petite Sirah Lodi 2020

 

Elegant and graceful!  Soft aromas of dark berries, gingerbread and oak are sultry and inviting.  As it unfolds on the palate, it delivers concentrated berry flavors with notes of dark honey, blackberry pie and spice.  Well-integrated tannins, a beautifully lush texture, and a lingering finish.

 

Technical Data

 

Varietal:  Petite Sirah

 

Appellation:  Lodi

 

Winemaker:  Adam Mettler

 

Cooperage:  French Oak 20% New & 80% Neutral

 

Alcohol:  14.50%

 

Heritage

 

The Mettler family heritage honors over 100 years and five generations of farming in Lodi with the release of our exceptional Petite Sirah.  The size of the crop, the time spent on the vine, and the many months aged in French oak barrels all reflect the care our family took to fully express the potential of this very small and unique portion of our vineyards.

 

Vineyards

 

The Lodi micro-climate is a true Mediterranean climate - excellent for growing Petite Sirah.  The high daytime temperatures are tempered by Delta breezes which flow through the area in the evenings and cool down the fruit dramatically.  The vineyards for the Mettler Petite Sirah are grown in the Mokelumne River sub-appellation.  Referred to by some as “Old Lodi” and is known for its well-drained, sandy soils.  Our vineyards are certified through the Lodi Rules sustainability program.

 

The Lodi Appellation

 

The Lodi Appellation is a federally designated American Viticulture Area recognized for the distinctive quality of its wines.  Located directly east of San Francisco at the edge of the Sacramento River Delta, the Lodi appellation is noted for its classic Mediterranean climate and its distinctive sandy soils that provide the perfect environment for the production of world-class wines.

 

The federal government first approved the Lodi American Viticultural Area (AVA) in 1986, and over the past two decades the number of "Lodi" labeled wines has skyrocketed.  As the quality and recognition of Lodi wines spread, local winegrowers began to recognize the wide variety of ecological differences across the vastness of the Lodi AVA.

 

 

Mettler Family Vineyards

 

There isn’t an aspect of the Mettler Wines that hasn’t touched the hands of a family member.

 

Our family has been farming wine grapes in the Lodi Appellation since the late 1800s.  As one of Lodi’s oldest farming families, we take a lot of pride in farming our vineyards both organically and sustainably.  Integrity for the land along with responsible farming practices ensures that our wine grapes are of the highest quality for our wines.  Our family is involved from the vineyard to the bottle; growing, harvesting, trucking, winemaking and sales.

 

Farmers First

 

Our family has been growing grapes for eight generations, dating back to the small German (now French) village of Alsace.  We have been growing premium wine grapes in the Lodi appellation for six generations and, in addition to our own wines, continue to grow grapes for many well-known wineries.  We were one of the first farming families to introduce French clones to our region, and have experience growing many unique varietals such as Pinotage and Aglianico.  Our family still farms some of our original family properties which date back to the late 1800’s.

 

Our wines are selected from very small blocks of vineyards, which are trained on special trellis systems, one which was originally designed by Jason, our vineyard manager, and Larry Mettler.  These systems allow just the right amount of sunlight to grace the fruit on the vine.  Our crop level is controlled using minimum use of water and hand-thinning.  Our wines are an expression of where and how the grapes are grown, including the clonal choice, vineyard sites, trellis, crop management and expertise of the winemaker.  We personally manage the entire process, paying close attention to every detail.

 

The Lodi Wine Region is defined and influenced by its proximity to the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay.  Situated directly east of San Francisco, at the edge of the Sacramento River Delta, Lodi takes advantage of the coastal gap as the northern and southern coastal ranges meet at the San Francisco Bay.  As temperatures rise in the central valley, cool maritime breezes are pulled directly across the Lodi region, creating a distinctive climate that has allowed premium wine grapes to flourish for over a century.  Boasting a classic Mediterranean climate, Lodi has warm, dry summers and cool, moist winters.  The dry warm summer days allow Lodi grapes to develop full ripe fruit flavors, while the distinctive breezes maintain the natural acidity for structure and complexity in the finished wines.

 

Organic and the Sustainable

 

Farming Practices

We have always been progressive concerning our farming techniques.  Using integrated pest management, cover crops and composting; and disease control through trellising, shoot positioning and leaf removal, we farm land for healthy vines and consistent wine quality.

 

Certified Sustainable
 

Our Lodi vineyards are certified sustainable through the “Lodi Rules” certification process.  The Lodi Rules for Sustainable Winegrowing is California’s first 3rd party-certified sustainable winegrowing program.  It promotes practices that enhance biodiversity, soil and water health, community and employee well-being, while meeting our needs today without compromising the needs of future generations.

 

Certified Organic

In addition to sustainability, in 2010 we took our vineyards to the next level and became certified organic through the CCOF (California Certified Organic Farmers).  It has been a vision of the family for years to become an organic farm and this is an important commitment to the quality and uniqueness of the Mettler wines.  As farmers — and as a family — we hold a fundamental belief in giving back to the land, to maintain its bounty and nourish the soil to last for many generations to come.