Awards/Ratings

2019 Cerise receives positive tasting notes for black fruit, tea and savory complexity; specific major critic scores for the 2019 Cerise are not widely published. Littorai wines are broadly acclaimed by critics for ageworthiness and quality

Tasting Note

Black-cherry and blackberry core with tobacco-leaf, dried florals and tea undertones. Medium-bodied, succulent and savory with fine, silky tannins and a fresh, lingering spice finish.

Food Pairing

Western: roast duck, mushroom risotto, roast pork tenderloin, charcuterie, soft-aged cheeses. Asian: miso-glazed salmon, duck breast with hoisin, soy-ginger pork, mushroom dumplings, ramen with concentrated broth.

Production Method

Native-yeast fermentations in open-top vats with variable whole-cluster inclusion (typically up to ~30%), hand punchdowns, complete malolactic, aged 14–18 months in French oak (partial new), bottled unfined/unfiltered.

Vineyard Info

Littorai, founded by Heidi and Ted Lemon in 1993, farms Cerise (planted 1998) on steep, rocky south-facing hillsides at 800–1,100 ft using organic/biodynamic practices (not certified).