Margins Wine
COUNTRY: United States
REGION: California
Megan Bell
Margins Wine produces low-intervention wines using grapes from underrepresented regions, vineyards, and varietals. We are part of the growing movement in California to make wines from organically farmed vineyards using little to no additives during the winemaking process, thereby showcasing the vineyards the grapes came from.
Much like people living on the ‘margins of society,’ vineyards can be outcasts too. Most consumers of wine are only familiar with a handful of grapegrowing regions and types of wine. Margins draws attention to vineyards and varietals throughout northern and central California that find themselves on the margins without the recognition they deserve.
Margins Wine is a small winemaking project of Megan Bell, a winemaker living and working in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Prior to settling on the central coast of California, Megan received her BS in Viticulture and Enology from UC Davis and apprenticed in wineries and vineyards in Napa, the Livermore Valley, the Willamette Valley, Central Otago (NZ), and the Loire Valley (France).
CUVÉES
“Rosy Wake”
Region: Central Coast, California
Grape: 46% Grenache Rosé (Paicines), 25% Mourvèdre Rosé (San Benito County), 15% Négrette Rosé (San Benito County), 6% Barbera Rosé (half from Santa Cruz Mountains, half from San Benito County), 3% Pinot Noir (Santa Cruz Mountains), 2% Grenache (San Benito County), 2% Nebbiolo (San Benito County), 1% Vermentino (San Benito County)
Farming: organic
Harvest: by hand
Winemaking: all grapes destemmed. fermented and aged separately and blended right before bottling. Aged in neutral oak for 4-4.5 months (depending on the cuvée)
Fining: none
Filtration: none
Added S02: 30ppm the week before bottling
Paicines Grenache 2022
Region: Paicines
Grape: Grenache
Vineyard Size: Paicines Ranch Vineyard (grazed by sheep year round, the only vineyard in CA to do so), 25 acres
Soil: n/af
Average Age of Vines: years
Farming: organic
Harvest: by hand
Winemaking: destemmed, fermented on skins for 9 days
Aging: neutral oak 4.5 months
Fining: none
Filtration: none
Added S02: 20ppm the week before bottling
Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir
Region: Santa Cruz Mountains
Grape: Pinot Noir
Vineyard: Makjavich Vineyard, 0.80 hectares
Average Age of Vines: 10 years
Farming: certified organic
Harvest: by hand
Winemaking: destemmed, 3 day maceration, spontaneous fermentation in neutral oak with indigenous yeasts
Aging: 10 months in neutral oak
Fining: none
Filtration: none
Added S02: 20ppm the week before bottling
“Neutral Oak Hotel”
Region: California
Grape: Cabernet Franc, Mourvèdre, Counoise, Chenin Blanc, Muscat Blanc
Vineyard Size:
Soil:
Average Age of Vines:
Farming: organic
Harvest: by hand
Winemaking: destemmed, separate, spontaneous fermentation in neutral oak with indigenous yeasts
Aging: 9 months in neutral oak
Fining: none
Filtration: none
Added S02: 45 mg/L
Arroyo Seco Sangiovese 2020
Region: Arroyo Seco
Grape: Sangiovese
Vineyard Size: 2.83 hectares
Soil: alluvial, loam, shale
Average Age of Vines: 22 years
Farming: organic
Harvest: by hand
Winemaking: destemmed, 12 day maceration, spontaneous fermentation in neutral oak with indigenous yeasts
Aging: 10 months in neutral oak
Fining: none
Filtration: none
Added S02: 30 mg/L
Santa Cruz Mountains Barbera
Region: Santa Cruz Mountains
Grape: Barbera
Vineyard Size: 6.75 hectares
Soil: loam, sandstone, schist, shale
Average Age of Vines: 30 years
Farming: organic
Harvest: by hand
Winemaking: destemmed, 2 week maceration, spontaneous fermentation in neutral oak with indigenous yeasts
Aging: 9 months in neutral oak
Fining: none
Filtration: none
Added S02: 7 mg/L
Arroyo Seco Sangiovese 2018
Region: Arroyo Seco
Grape: Sangiovese
Vineyard Size: 2.83 hectares
Soil: alluvial, loam, shale
Average Age of Vines: 20 years
Farming: organic
Harvest: by hand
Winemaking: destemmed, 2.5 week maceration, spontaneous fermentation in neutral oak with indigenous yeasts
Aging: 9 months in neutral oak
Fining: none
Filtration: none
Added S02: 7 mg/L
“Measure Zero”
Region: Clarksburg, Contra Costa County
Grape: Chenin Blanc, Muscat Blanc
Vineyard Size: 1.82 hectares
Soil: clay, loam
Average Age of Vines: 14 years
Farming: organic
Harvest: by hand
Winemaking: 40% Muscat Blanc destemmed, spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts on skins, 60% whole cluster, direct press, whole cluster Chenin Blanc, direct press
Aging: méthode ancestrale
Fining: none
Filtration: none
Added S02: none
Clarksburg Chenin Blanc 2022
Region: Clarksburg
Grape: Chenin blanc
Vineyard: Wilson Vineyards, Block 20
Soil: alluvial, loam
Average Age of Vines: n/a
Farming: organic
Harvest: by hand
Winemaking: whole cluster pressed to stainless steel
Aging: neutral oak for 5 months with battonage every other week.
Fining: none
Filtration: none
Added S02: 20ppm the week before bottling
“Neutral Oak Hotel” White
Region: California
Grape: 40% Chenin Blanc, 30% Aligoté, 30% Vermentino
Vineyard: Wilson Vineyard, Clarksburg (Chenin). Siletto Vineyard, San Benito County (Aligoté and Vermentino)
Farming: Wilson Vineyard farmed organically since 2020. Siletto farmed organically since 2020, CCOF certified 2023
Harvest: by hand
Winemaking: all grapes destemmed. Chenin soaked on skins overnight, fermented and aged in concrete aged. Aligoté and Vermentino direct press, aged in neutral oak 3-4 months.
Fining: none
Filtration: none
Added S02: 35ppm the week before bottling
Santa Clara Valley Counoise 2022
Region: Santa Clara Valley
Grape: Counoise
Vineyard: Sattler’s Family Vineyard, 2.7 acre backyard vineyard. the Sattler’s sold their property at the end of 2022, this will be the last Counoise from this site.
Soil: n/a
Average Age of Vines: 15 years
Farming: organic (organic conversion started 2018, completed 2021)
Harvest: by hand
Winemaking: destemmed, maceration for 10 days.
Aging: neutal oak for 4 months
Fining: none
Filtration: none
Added S02: 20ppm the week before bottling
Carmel Valley Chenin Blanc
Region: Carmel Valley
Grape: Chenin blanc
Vineyard: Massa Vineyard, 1.21 hectares
Soil: alluvial, loam
Average Age of Vines: 20 years
Farming: organic
Harvest: by hand
Winemaking: whole cluster, direct press, spontaneous fermentation in stainless steel with indigenous yeasts
Aging: 4.5 months in stainless steel, 4.5 months in neutral oak
Fining: none
Filtration: none
Added S02: 20ppm the week before bottling
Santa Clara Valley Mourvèdre 2020
Region: Santa Clara Valley
Grape: Mourvèdre
Vineyard Size: 1.09 hectares
Soil: sandy loam
Average Age of Vines: 12 years
Farming: organic
Harvest: by hand
Winemaking: destemmed, 10 day maceration, spontaneous fermentation in neutral oak with indigenous yeasts
Aging: 9 months in neutral oak
Fining: none
Filtration: none
Added S02: 20 mg/L
Contra Costa County Muscat Blanc 2022
Region: Contra Costa County
Grape: Muscat Blanc
Vineyard Size: Cecchini Ranch, 1.82 hectares
Soil: clay loam
Average Age of Vines: 18 years
Farming: organic
Harvest: by hand
Winemaking: 50% destemmed, 3 day maceration with one punchdown per day. 50% whole cluster, direct press. separate fermentation in neutral oak
Aging: 5 months in neutral oak, separately
Fining: none
Filtration: none
Added S02: 30ppm the week before bottling
Santa Clara Valley Mourvèdre
Region: Santa Clara Valley
Grape: Mourvèdre
Vineyard Size: 1.09 hectares
Soil: sandy loam
Average Age of Vines: 10 years
Farming: transitioning to organic
Harvest: by hand
Winemaking: destemmed, 1.5 week maceration, spontaneous fermentation in neutral oak with indigenous yeasts
Aging: 8 months in neutral oak
Fining: none
Filtration: none
Added S02: 20 mg/L
Clarksburg Skin Fermented Chenin Blanc
Region: Clarksburg
Grape: Chenin Blanc
Vineyard Size: 8.09 hectares
Soil: silty clay, loam
Average Age of Vines: 21 years
Farming: organic
Harvest: by hand
Winemaking: destemmed, 30 day spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts on skins, direct press
Aging: 4 months in neutral oak
Fining: none
Filtration: none
Added S02: 30 mg/L
Arroyo Seco Sangiovese 2017
Region: Arroyo Seco
Grape: Sangiovese
Vineyard Size: 2.83 hectares
Soil: alluvial, loam, shale
Average Age of Vines: 19 years
Farming: organic
Harvest: by hand
Winemaking: destemmed, 2.5 week fermentation on skins
Aging: 5.5 months in neutral French oak
Fining: none
Filtration: none
Added S02: 6 mg/L
