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Marietta Cellars

Christo Red Blend 2021

North Coast

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Named and styled after Chris Bilbro—affectionately called “Christo” by his great-aunt Marietta—this Rhône varietal blend is both gentle and powerful, deeply pleasurable yet raw and refined. A tribute from Scot Bilbro to his father and the founder of Marietta Cellars, it’s built around Syrah from the McDowell estate, with Petite Sirah from Angeli and Grenache from the Yorkville Highlands. The pig snout on the label nods to Chris’s wild boar sausage-making days, when he crisscrossed the country sharing his creations with chefs and wine lovers. Part of Marietta’s Family Series, this wine embodies the values that have shaped the winery for generations: family, hard work, passion, and a love for the creative spirit of winemaking.

VINEYARD

The Syrah comes from the McDowell Valley estate, situated in a valley surrounded by mountains, benefits from the cold sink that ensure cools nights and preserves acidity and freshness. The Petite Sirah comes from the Angeli Estate vineyard in Alexander Valley and the Grenache comes from the Yorkville Highlands estate at 1,400 ft in elevation on the mountain pass between the Anderson Valley and the Alexander Valley.

WINEMAKING

Syrah is co-fermented with a small % of Viognier for aromatic lift and blended with Grenache, and Petite Sirah, then aged for 16 months in neutral barrels.

VINTAGE

2021’s extremely cold and dry winter coupled with a windy spring made for a lighter yielding crop and small berries. These tiny clusters and berries went through the mild growing season with accelerated ripeness and made for a darker more intense wine. Harvest happened a week early across all varietals. Flavors were riper, denser, and showcased more red fruit then other vintages. This was a stellar growing season and the resultant wines are fresh and bright now but are built to age gracefully.

FOOD PAIRING

Like the snout on the label suggests, Christo pairs well with wild boar sausage, game and other rustic dishes. Try it with olive-braised rabbit, cassoulet or mushroom ragù ove

Color

Red

Blend %

68% Syrah, 20% Grenache, 8% Petite Sirah, 4% Viognier

Appellation

North Coast

Farming

Organic

Alcohol

14.9%

Suggested Retail Price

$27.99

Reviews

93

Wine Advocate - October 19, 2023 "The 2021 Christo features fresh blackcurrant and blueberry aromas with tones of cast iron, violet, sagebrush and conifer. The full-bodied palate is chalky and refreshing with restrained, mineral-driven fruit and a long, perfumed finish."

92

Vinous - July 8, 2024 "The 2021 Christo is a brooding wine. Black cherry, plum, gravel, tobacco, menthol, licorice and dried herbs add to an impression of gravitas. Brawny tannins wrap it all together. This full-bodied red is very much intended for the dinner table."

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Marietta Cellars Christo Red Blend Bottle Shot

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