2021 Los Chuchaquis 'Bandido' Red Blend San Benito County

Winemaker Notes: Negrette is a variety associated with the French southwestern appellation of Fronton—there known for its wines of opaque color and violet, plummy profile. In California, there are only some ten acres of it planted across the entire state; here, the Negrette comes from the Siletto vineyard in San Benito County. It makes up 80% of this wine, with the latter 20% coming from San Benito Zinfandel, Cabernet Pfeffer, and a bit of Calaveras Albariño rounding it out. Hand-harvested and fermented whole-cluster in an open-top redwood fermenter; three weeks of maceration, then pressed off to age in old barrels for ten months on fine lees. Unfined, unfiltered. Robust fruit, dark bitter herbs, a rustic touch on the edges—California wine without the fuss and fancy ranches.

Chuchaqui (choo-CHA-key) is a Quechua word for, “without legs” (as in extra drunk), and Los Chuchaquis is a joint venture between Ryan Stirm and Jehan Hakimian, and they bring us sparkling Albariño, sparkling Sangiovese, and some exciting etc. All with minimal intervention and maximum awesome. Ryan Stirm’s other and original label Stirm Wines is also well worth exploring (of course, we like totally sell it also), has a focus on Riesling, made naturally, and from exceptional vineyards on the central coast. His career started at Tyler and Lieu Dit, and then eventually he worked at Thomas Fogarty before he started Stirm Wines. Jehan Hakimian worked his first harvest in Calchaqui valley near Salta at 15. Since then he has managed to worm his way into almost every side of the wine business; retail, national wholesale, etc. He and Ryan make the wines together, and then Jehan gets to take them into the world.