Malvasia Bianca 2022, Erggelet Brothers

While Malvasia is commonly seen in various locations in Italy and other parts of the old world, we really don't see much of it here in California—especially in Contra Costa County!

This wine is bursting with flowers—honeysuckle mostly—along with an intriguing element of cider. On the palate, it’s supremely dry with a compelling note of red apple skin. Tons of texture and a little bit of stone fruits make this an exceptionally well-rounded wine. Add to that just a bit of skin contact and you’ve got yourself a red wine in a white wine’s clothes!

• Picked at 17.5 Brix
• Native yeast fermentation in neutral French oak and stainless steel tanks
• Aged on full lees for 8 months
• Bottled unfined and unfiltered in June of 2023
• 160 cases total produced

Cecchini Family Vineyard
Knightsen / Contra Costa County
Julian’s wife Alli (née Cecchini) was born on this farm, and the Cecchini Family had been farming this land in Knightsen for nearly a century before it was sold in 2021. After farming this vineyard organically for the past 5 years, we are working closely with the new owners to maintain these standards. We currently source our Malvasia from this vineyard. Grown in a patch of delhi sand and sandi loam, this 25 year old planting continues to stun us each season with its resilience and consistency.

About the Winery

Julian and Sebastian make up the Erggelet Brothers. Their interest in wine was sparked while sipping leftover Riesling out of Grandfather Erggelet’s goblet as kids. After growing up in southern Germany and coming of age as oenophile dilettantes, they pursued degrees in Philosophy & Economics (Sebastian) and Medicine (Julian). As they moved along these career paths, the focus of their lives gradually shifted from sitting under fluorescent office lights to walking through the vineyards of the Rhine valley with Bertrand Russell in their back pockets—exploring the joys of farming, eating good food, and drinking great wines.

While Sebastian went back to school for viticulture & enology, Julian completed his medical degree. After that, they embarked on a journey around the globe to taste, experience, and assemble the taste buds necessary to make intriguing wine. The learning years saw them working their way through harvests, cellars, kitchens, and many bottles of wine in France, Switzerland, Australia, and Spain.

They came to California in 2014 with just enough savings to cover two months’ rent and buy a ‘well used’ Subaru. In 2015, after gaining invaluable experience at OVID and Seven Stones Winery in the Napa Valley, then Martin Estate in Rutherford and Hannah Nicole Winery in Brentwood, they started making their own wine. Sebastian is also the Associate Winemaker for Grgich Hills Estate in Rutherford, and Julian spends his days fixing tractors and farming his vineyard and orchard in Contra Costa County.