Oveja, Old Oak Vineyard 2023, Lone Madrone

From the Old Oak Vineyard in the Willow Creek District, this blend of 48% Picpoul, 37% Grenache Blanc and 15% Vermentino has a delicate nose of white peach, limestone, and a touch of thyme, creating a layered and refreshing palate. The bright acidity from the Vermentino provides structure and makes the wine an excellent companion for Mediterranean dishes, seafood, and herbed poultry.

This is the inaugural vintage of Oveja created with Vermentino, a varietal intentionally planted by Jordan Collins in 2020 for this unique white blend. Vermentino was selected for its bright acidity, which enhances the wine's overall profile.

The wine is fermented for 11 months in 100% concrete vessels, followed by full malolactic fermentation. The use of concrete allows for a slow, controlled maturation, preserving the wine's fresh, mineral-driven characteristics.

Dry farmed, head trained, and certified organic as of 2022.

About the Winery

Lone Madrone was founded in 1996 with the goal of producing distinctive wines from vineyards in the rugged limestone hills of Paso Robles. Growing slowly yet steadily since, the focus is largely on vineyards that are dry-farmed and head-trained, which winemaker Neil Collins believes to be “the purest expression of the unparalleled terroir of west Paso Robles.” Neil also feels that when you begin with grapes from vineyards of this quality, in these outrageous soils, it only makes sense to “let them sing for themselves without being masked by our hands.” To this end, all the wines are fermented with native yeasts and aged in predominantly neutral oak barrels.