2021 Mari Vineyards 'Scriptorium' Riesling Old Mission Peninsula

Winemaker Notes: The Scriptorium opens with notes of citrus blossom and beeswax on the nose. Cantaloupe, honeydew, and classic Riesling citrus flavors are accompanied by lees contact that softens and surrounds the acid structure. Pleasingly off-dry, or the German equivalent halbtrocken, this main release Riesling balances natural sugar against traditional variety acidity, giving a wonderful sense of ripe fruit.

Prior to the printing press, books and manuscripts were copied by hand. Much of the world’s great written works were destroyed throughout history, but some survived in the monasteries, where monks would both tend to grapes and copy manuscripts in great rooms called Scriptoriums. This monastic movement gave the wine industry the knowledge we have today, and reflects the intrinsic duality of tradition and modernity in winemaking. Riesling is considered a premier white winemaking grape worldwide. First planted on Old Mission Peninsula in 1974 by our Winemaker’s father, Ed O’Keefe, it is also the preeminent white wine grown on OMP. At Mari, our style tends to be drier, relying on extended lees contact for balance.