Wine compadres,
The bell rings. It’s high noon for some fresh LEVO releases.
Our latest collection is named NADA MAS, translating in Spanish to “Nothing More.” I’m sitting here typing, slurping down Grenache, and I’ve never been more buzzed while writing nor as excited about a release. As far as what’s inside the bottle… Well, this mouth-watering son of a gun hails from the growing season of 2020, as does the entire possie I am shamelessly hawking today. The quantity of wine made in 2020 is supremely limited as I was very selective in which lots were included in the final blends. There were plenty of diamonds in the rough, and all that is contained in these capsules of hedonism are glittery and full of beautiful goodness. These new releases are defined by a certain purity, elegance, and immediacy, so very light, airy, and graceful. To put it directly, 2020 is a nice transition from the heft and richness of 2018 and 2019. Don’t miss them.
Now before I go rambling on, I must warn you. If you suffer from extreme sensitivity or your tired eyeballs can’t imagine another ten minutes of reading, I’d suggest you skip straight to THE SKINNY. It will provide you with more censored details like updated pricing and shipping and pick up dates on these deliciously decadent specials we are peddling today. As you may already know in these release letters, I won’t entertain you with growing conditions, pruning practices, yields, filtration techniques (never), the direction the wind blew, the growing degree days, or any other biodynamic farming details that could potentially bore you to the bone and leave me liable for your untimely death. NO, this letter has absolutely nothing to do with winemaking. If I still haven’t convinced you to STOP and you’d like to continue with the story of NADA MAS, buckle up and let’s rock n’ roll.
Now please don’t fret. Nada Mas isn’t a sly way of me saying goodbye or a hint that levo is” Nothing More.” If you’d prefer I get lost, I have some bad news for you. There are only two traits I pride myself on: extreme stubbornness and a willingness to stick around. After all, making great wine isn’t based on an individual’s creativity, talent, or skill but rather hard work and a complete inability to throw in the towel. Thanks to you, our ever-growing thirsty clan of outlaws, levo is still alive and kicking. Surprisingly. And while it’s been nearly two years (instead of two weeks) that we’ve dealt with an unsurmountable heap of obnoxious crap, I have scientifically proven wine is a great cure for the human spirit. That is all. Let’s consider NADA MAS a small critique, a quick metaphor I’d like to portray. Not because I intend to stir the pot, but because everything that makes me tick and lights my soul ablaze is slowly fading and fizzling into a flicker of the West.
As a youngster, I understood being a Cowboy was mostly about blowing bank vaults, bar fights, flipping tables, fast horses, slugging whiskey, ripping heaters, twirling six-shooters, and saving pretty women. As I have moved down the trail a bit, I understand it’s not so much about being Macho. After all, my favorite western characters were never well-defined antagonists or protagonists. Rather they did what cowboys do best. They rode fence lines- one boot inbounds, one boot over the edge guided simply by natural law in its rawest form – eschewing societies’ constraints of the human spirit. These cattlemen weren’t “experts” in anything except being sovereign individuals. At every human being’s core, there is a deep demand for freedom of expression, wide-open spaces, and the ability to speak what is true, even if it means going against the grain, saying what’s unpopular, or NO. This notion has always been the cornerstone of the West and a notion I very much subscribe to.
My most faint, blurred, sun-drenched memories are with my brother in the Arizona desert dipping and weaving between cacti and citrus trees. We would act out scenes from the shootout at OK Corral from the film Tombstone and fight about who could be Wyatt Earp or Doc Holiday that day. I guess neither of us really felt like it would be cool to act as Johnny Ringo. I could go on about these desert days, but all I know now is that we both had a deep hankering to act as the noble Cowboy. Maybe it was because these cowpokes stood for something. Perhaps it was that they were men of principle paired with a complete disregard for rules and lines in the sand. They seemed to carry an air of individuality, paired with an eager willingness to buck safety and strike out on their own regardless of whether the mission was seemingly impossible, terrifying, or both… And while this credo slowly fades onwards into a distant mirage, these characteristics are (and will always be) desirable to a couple of young boys.
The great Merle Haggard once sang, “Are the good times really over for good?”
I guess I wouldn’t know what to tell Merle these days. Maybe I’d refer to my very own remix of a Waylon and Willie bop that goes,
“Mammas Don’t Let Your Cowboys Grow Up To Be Babies...”
Beyond that, I’m not so sure of anything. All I know is that I’m headed back to the desert with my brother, back to dipping and weaving in the cacti and citrus trees to embody the heroes we fought over being.
Saddle up, my friends. I’ll see you in the great wide open.
Bret
THE SKINNY
As always, a hearty thank you is in order. Without your copious thirst, kind words, and gracious visits to our minuscule winery in Paso, levo simply would not exist. Thank you all a million times over for making this dream a reality. You are the wind that fills our sails and the lifeblood of our small project.
With all the mushiness aside, I urge you to place an order. These wines are delicious, and you’ll be happy you did. This is the smallest production we have had since the 2017 vintage, so quantities are limited.
Please contact – tastingroom@levowine.com, or call 805-400-5994 for shipping, billing, or payment updates. We are currently closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
SHIPMENT DETAILS
Six Bottle Membership allocation:
- 2020 NADA MAS – CALIFORNIA GRENACHE x 2 Bottles
- 2020 NADA MAS – CALIFORNIA SYRAH x 2 Bottles
- 2020 NADA MAS – CALIFORNIA PETITE SIRAH x 2 Bottles
*****************Optional Add Ons********************
- 2021 NADA MAS – CALIFORNIA WHITE WINE
- 2020 NADA MÁS – CALIFORNIA GRACIANO ***ONLY 50 CASES EXIST ON PLANET EARTH
12 Bottle Membership allocation: Customization available upon request. Please let us know prior to February 28, 2020
- 2020 NADA MAS – CALIFORNIA GRENACHE x 3 Bottles
- 2020 NADA MAS – CALIFORNIA SYRAH x 3 Bottles
- 2020 NADA MAS – CALIFORNIA PETITE SIRAH x 3 Bottles
- 2021 NADA MAS – CALIFORNIA WHITE WINE x 2 Bottles
- 2020 NADA MÁS – CALIFORNIA GRACIANO x 1 Bottle
RELEVANT DATES:
- February 14: Release letter sent
- February 28: Last day to update address/edit orders
- March 3: Charge cards
- March 24: East Coast Ship (Temp Controlled) / West Coast (Temp Controlled)
- April 1 – Nada Mas ready for Will Call/Pick up @ levo
PERTINENT WINE DETAILS:
2020 NADA MAS CALIFORNIA GRENACHE
- 71% Grenache, 14% Mourvedre, 12% Graciano, 3% Syrah
- Vessels: Aged 15 Months in Demi Muid (700L & 600L) Puncheon (500L) 38% New French Oak
- Vineyards: Fulldraw, Kruse, Piazza Bella Vista
- Member Pricing: $52.70
- Retail: $62
2020 NADA MAS CALIFORNIA SYRAH
- Vessels: Aged 16 Months in Barrique (225L) 42% New French Oak
- Vineyards: Larner, Caliza, Piazza Bella Vista
- Member Pricing: $52.70
- Retail: $62
2020 NADA MAS CALIFORNIA PETITE SIRAH
- 73% Petite Sirah, 18% Syrah, 9% Grenache
- Vessels: Aged 16 Months in Barrique (225L) 94% New French Oak
- Vineyards: Stolpman, Rancho Boa Vista, Piazza Bella Vista, Kruse
- Member Pricing: $52.70
- Retail: $62
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Optional ADD-ONS
………………………………………………………………………………………………………
2021 NADA MAS CALIFORNIA WHITE WINE
- 48% Grenache Blanc, 36% Petit Manseng, 16% Clairette Blanche
- Vessels: Aged for 5 months in a Concrete Egg
- Vineyards: RBV, CHABOT, WATCH HILL
- Member Pricing: $45.90/BTL
- Retail: $54/BTL
2020 NADA MÁS CALIFORNIA GRACIANO ***ONLY 50 CASES EXIST ON PLANET EARTH
- Vessels: Aged 12 Months in Concrete
- Vineyard: Piazza Bella Vista (Formerly Harrison Clarke)
- Member Pricing: $45.90/BTL
- Retail: $54/BTL
Recommended Listening:
I Don’t Live Here Anymore – War on Drugs – Entire Album.
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