2022 Scriptorium Riesling
Case Count: 296
Philosophy
Prior to the printing press, books and manuscripts were copied by hand. Much of the world’s great written works were destroyed throughout history, but some survived in the monasteries, where monks would both tend to grapes and copy manuscripts in great rooms called Scriptoriums. This monastic movement gave the wine industry the knowledge we have today, and reflects the intrinsic duality of tradition and modernity in winemaking. Riesling is considered a premier white winemaking grape worldwide. First planted on Old Mission Peninsula in 1974 by our Winemaker’s father, Ed O’Keefe, it is also the preeminent white wine grown on OMP. At Mari, our style tends to be drier, relying on extended lees contact and balancing residual sugar with an electric acidity—in true Germanic tradition.
Flavor Notes
The Scriptorium is alive with citrus notes of freshly squeezed lemons and grapefruit. Softer cantaloupe flavors dance with delicate anise on the palate, leading into a kiwi finish. Kept on its lees to surround and soften the acid structure, Scriptorium shows our textually focused house-style. Pleasingly off-dry, or the German equivalent halbtrocken, this main release Riesling balances natural sugar against traditional variety acidity, giving a wonderful sense of juicy fruit.
Vinification
A beautiful summer led into a uniquely cool fall. The fruit was harvested from Jamieson on October 22nd, 2022. Once pressed, the juice was fermented in stainless tanks with gross lees contact for three and a half months, before racking on February 10th, 2023. The wine remained on its fine lees for another three months before filtering and bottling on the May 16th.
Food Pairings
Summertime seafood dishes and aromatic tropical roots and herbs. Lean into fresh flavors with a ceviche or tom yum soup. Allow the wine’s zippy acid to cut through a buttery fettuccine or garlic bechamel with shrimp, scallops, and mussels.
Cellaring
Ideal through 2029-2031, and will evolve in flavor as it ages.
