Highlights: The Alley Palomino 2019 California
The Alley Palomino 2019 Contra Costa Vineyard, California
This is made by Christina Rasmussen, friend and colleague, and I’ve tried it three times, as well as seeing it under construction when I visited the Los Angeles River Wine Company back in 2019 when Christina was working there. This note and score comes from when I was served it blind, without any context. (It’s always easier to assess one of your friend’s wines this way.) It’s Palomino from the Bridgehead Vineyard, planted in 1935, and now owned by Cline. This was fermented and aged in a single used barrel from Konsgaard. Textured and fresh with sweet pear and green apple characters. Grainy, with a chalky edge, and a subtle saline twist. Stony and mineral with restrained richness: this is supple and very refined with good balance and fine acidity. 95/100
A video of The LA River Winery in action in 2019, with Christina introducing her wine at 1:02
