Matthiasson 2021 Tendu Red Wine 750ml

Tendu is French for taut, and one of the ranges of wines from California low intervention innovators Matthiasson family. Jill and Steve have propelled the less-is-more movement throughout the state, and are beacons of new California cool. This short bottle, for instance, illustrates perfectly. In a move to be more environmentally conscious, Jill and Steve Matthiasson chose American-made bottles finished with glue-free compostable/recyclable corks. This year's Red Wine blends Barbera, Aglianico, and Montepulciano from two sites in the Dunnigan Hills AVA, both with weathered, pink gravels, and one, Windmill Vineyard, certified organic. This was native fermented in stainless, and aged in neutral barrels for 5 months, with minimum SO2 at bottling, unfiltered/unfined. Light and nervy, with crimson red currant, cherry, spring rhubarb sailing along a slight, silken palate, easily lifted with buoyant acidity. Fine tannins guide this to a savoury, saline washed finish. Pure and singing. light (11%) and natural, primed for drinking now.

90 points -- Treve Ring, gismondionwine.com, 2022