Es Okay White 2022

The vibe: We love an autumnal white. Whether or not you’re ready for the season of pumpkin spice Chardonnay (yes that is a real thing at Trader Joe’s) it’s a good excuse to start shifting your gaze toward bigger, textural whites. This bottle is a beautiful blend of direct press (white juice) and skin contact (orange wine) and both lean and fuller-bodied white varietals. In 2022, the winemaker stumbled upon a good amount of Organic Cortese after Pinot Gris and Chenin Blanc fruit got hit hard by frost. It’s by and large Cortese, with smaller amounts of Chardonnay, Pinot Gris and Chenin Blanc. The result is a kitchen-sink blend of white varietals that all comes together as a medium-bodied alternative to the usual suspects from California. A great cooler-weather white, it balances honeycomb aromatics and Meyer lemon, apricot and loquat drippy juice, and finds a beautiful harmony around a slightly fuller, oily mouthfeel and clean, lean acidity.

The winemaker: Newer to the Seattle market, Rootdown is three unique brands under the leadership of Mike Lucia. Mike started Rootdown in 2014 after working for several iconic Sonoma County wineries and the name refers to the influence of the soil on wine, particularly in organic/low intervention winemaking. Mike has always been more interested in what the vine’s roots are drinking rather than how the sun is interaction directly with the fruit. His wines tend to have low alcohol, high acid, and more delicate, brighter color.

The geeky details: 80% Cortese, 8% Chardonnay, 6% Pinot Gris skin contact, 6% Chenin Blanc in a mix of barrels and eggs.

Serve: With a chill.

Food pairing: Fall salads, seafood, light pasta, risotto

Album pairing: Mildlife – Chorus