2022 Assiduous Grüner Veltliner 'Mesa del Rio Vineyard'

A brand new wine from Assiduous! There are only 150 acres of Grüner Veltliner, the great white grape of Austria, planted in California. The Mesa del Rio Vineyard is a benchland parcel on the western side of the valley at the foot of the Santa Lucia Mountains. The climate—windy and cool—yields wines that are layered and highly aromatic. They grow Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Merlot, Syrah, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, and Riesling, as well.As with all of Assiduous’s wines, this is organically farmed, fermented on native yeasts, made with minimal intervention and bottled unfined and unfiltered.

Tasting Notes

The wine itself is light to medium bodied, restrained and refreshingly low in alcohol, with an aromatic nose of chalk, white flowers, ripe pears and lemons and a bit of high toned spice. Super clean and refreshing on the palate, with Grüner’s characteristic weight on the palate, and flavors that echo the nose. The finish is long, clean and refreshing. Drink this with any salad or vegetable course or lightly prepared white fish. It’s an awesome and affordable new bottling from one of our favorite local winemakers.

About Assiduous Wines

Winemaker and vineyard manager Keegan Mayo was born in Hawai’i and raised in Santa Cruz, and produces minimal intervention, food friendly wines with a real sense of place. His first introduction into the wine industry was working for a few summers at Split Rail Vineyard in Corralitos. He graduated from UC Davis Viticulture and Enology Program in 2008. While attending school he spent a harvest with Mumm in Napa as a cellar hand and grape sampler.  In 2009, he spent the vintage with Church Road Winery in Hawkes Bay, New Zealand, before settling into a nearly nine year tenure with Testarossa Winery, where he eventually became the Assistant Winemaker. He only produces wines from the Santa Cruz Mountains.