Scholium Project

Producer Website
THE AIM

The aim of my winemaking is an activity; or more properly, a set and series of activities. The first set of acitivites is the winemaking itself, from studying and attending to the vineyard, to imagining when to pick the grapes, to smelling the fermentation begin . . . and on to bringing the wine to bottle. The making of the wine is, in this sense, an end in itself.

But wine has the remarkable ability to preserve within itself not only the character of a vineyard, a growing season, a fermentation– but it does so in a way that is portable. You can put it in a bottle and give it to a friend, or set it adrift in the vast sea of the market, so that it finds itself eventually in the hands, on the table, of a perfect stranger.

This possibility raises a second set of activities– those that are separate and beyond the making of the wine iteself. These are the activities that the wine can inspire and engender in others who drink it.
Beyond the essential bacchic activities that almost any wine can inspire, I have three particular ones in mind: the wines should make one feel and think of complexity. Not the complexity of arguments or syllogisms, but this kind of complexity: imagine the flat asphalt of a new mall's parking lot. Imagine the same asphalt cracked and broken after years of weathering, traffic, ground shifting underneath it. The pointless complexity of these cracks can be a feast for the eyes, even if it means nothing. The wines should present a similar complexity for their consumer to feast on.

The wines should make one sense decay, decomposition, transformation. The wines should be so distinctly wine and not fruit that one can sense both the yeast and the bacteria, on the one hand, and the passage of time, on the other hand, that transformed the unspoiled fruit into a new substance. The wines must capture and preserve decay and age.

The wines should make you happy that you are drinking them.

THE PRINCIPLES

Specificity of vineyards: our fruit comes from the small vineyards of individual farmers. These vineyards offer sites or farming practices, or both, that cannot be duplicated. For this reason, each wine is a single-vineyard bottling and bears the name of its vineyard. We work very closely with each farmer as partner rather than client. The winemaking is inevitably guided by the fruit that the vineyard produces; but the winemaker may reciprocally influence the farming of the vineyards. But much more important than influencing, or much worse, shaping, the vineyard to the winemaker's needs– much more important is to discover excellence in the vineyard and then attend to and exalt it.

Husbandry of microbes: once we have harvested the fruit, our prime task is husbanding the microbial population of our wines. We do this by interfering as little as possible in the spontaneous development of a natural (if invisible) ecology in our fermenting wine. We do not sterilize the must, we do not add commercial yeasts. If the developing system veers toward winemaking disaster, we intervene. If not, we add and take away nothing. We observe the developing system through the signs available to our senses: we taste, we smell, we measure temperature. We punch down, pumpover, and sometimes chill the must to delay or slow down a given activity–but outside of these activities, we do nothing to interfere in the development of a stable and complex living system in our wines.

Undisturbed maturation: in general, the flavors that we seek in our wines come from ripe fruit, long macerations, and long maturation in barrel. When one of our wines demands by its own nature a variation from these principles, we vary (see the 2004 Glos). Otherwise, we seek to transmute the fruit, not to preserve it. We seek not the primary aromas of the freshly-sliced apple or the just-bitten plum, but the secondary and tertiary aromas of rose petals, chocolate, roast coffee, dried fruits, hung game, old leather, dried mushrooms, a broken firecracker. These aromas depend most of all on the undisturbed elevation of the wine in barrel. No sulfur is added in barrel, the wines are topped seldom, and they remain in barrel until they develop a ripeness that is peculiar to wine, not fruit. During this period of maturation, the microbes reach equilibrium and the wine become used to air. The result are wines that are sturdy and prone neither to bacterial spoilage nor to oxidation. They are used to, and have overcome, these threats before they ever make it into bottle. The wines that did not survive this rigorous elevage never see a bottle. They disappear.

Vineyard designation: the foundation of these wines is the vineyard that produces each one. The winemaking is very much the same for each wine. The character of the vineyard and the microbiology of the barrels each dwarfs the range of possible characteristics suggested by various varietals. For this reason, varietal designation has seemed insignificant for this project. A given wine is not a "cab" or a "merlot" in this project; it is a Tenbrink or a Hudson. Typical designations of appelation are not useful here for similar reasons. One wine is not "Napa" in character, while another is "Monterey." The specificity of the vineyard is so much more significant than the appelation that we avoid such a general (and non-specific) designation. On the other hand, the realm in which all of the project's vineyards are found is the dream-world of California. For this reason, all of the wines bear the California appelation and a single vineyard designation.

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Group wines by:

• Wine Name
• Variety
• Vineyard
• Vintage

wine type	Name, Type, Locale	Year
White - Sparkling	Scholium Project Blowout (View Label Image) White - Sparkling, USA, California	2015 2014
Rosé - Sparkling	Scholium Project Blowout Rosé Sparkling Wine (View Label Image) Rosé - Sparkling, USA, California	2015 2014 NV
Rosé	Scholium Project Rosé Rosé, USA, California, Central Valley, Lodi	2008 NV
Rosé	Scholium Project Rosé Phillips Farm Rosé, USA, California, Central Valley, Lodi	2008 NV
Rosé	Scholium Project Saignee from Babylon Tenbrink Vineyards (View Label Image) Rosé, USA, California, North Coast, Suisun Valley	2012 2008 2007 2005
Rosé	Scholium Project Zinfandel Il Ciliegio Stampede (View Label Image) Rosé, USA, California, Central Valley, Lodi	2016 2015
White	Scholium Project (View Label Image) White, USA, California, North Coast, Suisun Valley	2016 NV
White	Scholium Project Cena Trimalchionis 2 Farina White, USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Mountain	2005
White	Scholium Project Cena Trimalchionis Farina (View Label Image) White, USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Mountain	2014 2013 2008 2006 2005
White	Scholium Project Chardonnay Choêphoroi Los Olivos Vineyard (View Label Image) White, USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Ynez Valley	2009 2008 2007
White	Scholium Project Chardonnay Chuy Chard Nelligan Road Ranch (View Label Image) White, USA, California, Napa Valley, Spring Mountain District	2011 2010 2009
White	Scholium Project Chardonnay Chuy Chard Reserve Nelligan Road Ranch White, USA, California, Napa Valley, Spring Mountain District	2010
White	Scholium Project Chardonnay Dick VanDerKous Solitude Vineyard White, USA, California	2016
White	Scholium Project Chardonnay Guman White, USA, California, Napa Valley	2012
White	Scholium Project Delta Soup Lost Slough Vineyards (View Label Image) White, USA, California, Central Valley, Sacramento Valley	2014
White	Scholium Project Dulcissima Camilla Farina (View Label Image) White, USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Mountain	2013 2007 2006
White	Scholium Project Eurydice Rocky Hill (View Label Image) White, USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Mountain	2007
White	Scholium Project FTP Kirschenmann Vineyard (View Label Image) White, USA, California, Central Valley, Lodi	2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 NV
White	Scholium Project FTP Reserve Kirschenmann Vineyard (View Label Image) White, USA, California, Central Valley, Lodi	2016
White	Scholium Project FTP-C Kirschenmann Vineyard (View Label Image) White, USA, California, Central Valley, Lodi	2018 2017 2016 2015
White	Scholium Project Gemella (View Label Image) White, USA, California, North Coast, Suisun Valley	2013 2012 2007
White	Scholium Project Gemella Lost Slough Vineyards (View Label Image) White, USA, California, Central Valley, Clarksburg	2013 2012 2007 2006 2005 2004
White	Scholium Project Glos McDowell (View Label Image) White, USA, California, Napa Valley, Rutherford	2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004
White	Scholium Project Gyges Goldman White, USA, California, Napa Valley	2003
White	Scholium Project Heliopolis Delu (View Label Image) White, USA, California, Central Valley, Clarksburg	2007 2006
White	Scholium Project La Géante (View Label Image) White, USA, California	2018 2017 2016 NV
White	Scholium Project La Severità di Bruto Farina (View Label Image) White, USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Mountain	2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005
White	Scholium Project Les Côteaux (View Label Image) White, USA, California, Central Coast, San Luis Obispo Coast	2021
White	Scholium Project Les Ténèbres White, USA, California, Napa Valley	2000
White	Scholium Project Marcher Sûr La Lune Bokisch Ranches (View Label Image) White, USA, California, Central Valley, Lodi	2009 2008
White	Scholium Project Marcher Sûr la Lune Reserve Bokisch Ranches (View Label Image) White, USA, California, Central Valley, Lodi	2009 2008
White	Scholium Project Michael Faraday Matthiasson Family Vineyards (View Label Image) White, USA, California, Sonoma County	2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009
White	Scholium Project Michael Faraday Michael Mara (View Label Image) White, USA, California, Sonoma County	2015 2014 2013 2012 2010
White	Scholium Project Midan Al-Tahrir (View Label Image) White, USA, California	2010 2009
White	Scholium Project Naucratis Lost Slough Vineyards (View Label Image) White, USA, California, Central Valley, Clarksburg	2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005
White	Scholium Project Nereides Guman Vineyard White, USA, California, Napa / Sonoma, Carneros	2005
White	Scholium Project Pergamos Blanc Dick Vanderkous Paradise Vineyard (View Label Image) White, USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Contra Costa County	2016
White	Scholium Project Pinot Gris Steverjan Rocky Hill Vineyard (View Label Image) White, USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Mountain	2014
White	Scholium Project Rhododactylos (View Label Image) White, USA, California, Central Valley, Lodi	2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009
White	Scholium Project Riq SF White, USA, California	2009
White	Scholium Project Riquewihr Lost Slough Vineyards (View Label Image) White, USA, California, Central Valley, Clarksburg	2015 2014 2013 2012 2010 2009 2008 2007
White	Scholium Project San Floriano Del Collio Riserva Rocky Hill (View Label Image) White, USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Mountain	2006
White	Scholium Project San Floriano Del Collio Rocky Hill White, USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Mountain	2006
White	Scholium Project San Floriano Normale Rocky Hills Vineyard (View Label Image) White, USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Mountain	2006
White	Scholium Project Sauvignon Blanc Cena 3 The Minotaur Farina (View Label Image) White, USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Mountain	2013 2005
White	Scholium Project The Prince In His Caves Farina (View Label Image) White, USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Mountain	2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2000
White	Scholium Project The School Of The Plains Elsa's Vineyard (View Label Image) White, USA, California, Napa Valley	2006
White	Scholium Project The Sylphs Guman Vineyard (View Label Image) White, USA, California, Napa Valley, Coombsville	2021 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 NV
White	Scholium Project Verdelho Lost Slough Vineyard White, USA, California, Central Valley, Sacramento Valley	2015
White	Scholium Project Verdelho Spear-Din Lost Slough Vineyard (View Label Image) White, USA, California, Central Valley, Sacramento Valley	2015
White	Scholium Project VLV Bokisch Ranches (View Label Image) White, USA, California, Central Valley, Lodi	2016 2015 2014 2013 2012
White	Scholium Project VLV Reserve Bokisch Ranches (View Label Image) White, USA, California, Central Valley, Lodi	2016 2015 2014 2013 2012
White	Scholium Project Wisdom of Theuth Lost Slough Vineyards (View Label Image) White, USA, California, Central Valley, Clarksburg	2010 2009 2008 2007
White - Off-dry	Scholium Project Pasiphae (View Label Image) White - Off-dry, USA, California, Napa Valley, Mt. Veeder	2013
Red	Scholium Project Red, USA, California	2016
Red	Scholium Project (View Label Image) Red, USA, California, North Coast, Suisun Valley	2006 2005
Red	Scholium Project 1MN Bechtold Ranch (View Label Image) Red, USA, California, Central Valley, Lodi	2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011
Red	Scholium Project Anastasis (View Label Image) Red, USA, California	2012
Red	Scholium Project Androkteinos Hudson Vineyard (View Label Image) Red, USA, California, Napa Valley	2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007
Red	Scholium Project Babylon Tenbrink Vineyards (View Label Image) Red, USA, California	2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 NV
Red	Scholium Project Bricco Babelico Tenbrink Vineyards (View Label Image) Red, USA, California	2012 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006
Red	Scholium Project Bunker Archaeology (View Label Image) Red, USA, California	2017 2016
Red	Scholium Project Cabernet Sauvignon Tenbrink (View Label Image) Red, USA, California, North Coast, Suisun Valley	2008
Red	Scholium Project Cabernet Sauvignon Wolfskill (View Label Image) Red, USA, California, North Coast, Suisun Valley	2014 2013 2012
Red	Scholium Project Chuey (View Label Image) Red, USA, California, North Coast	2011 2009
Red	Scholium Project Chuy Nelligan Road Ranch (View Label Image) Red, USA, California, Napa Valley, Spring Mountain District	2011 2009
Red	Scholium Project FTP-Z Kirschenmann on the Mokelumne (View Label Image) Red, USA, California, Central Valley, Lodi Mokelumne River	2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013
Red	Scholium Project Gardens of Babylon (View Label Image) Red, USA, California, North Coast, Suisun Valley	2016 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 NV
Red	Scholium Project Golgotha Reserve Hudson Vineyard (View Label Image) Red, USA, California, Napa Valley	2014 2013 2012 2011 2010
Red	Scholium Project Iseult Hudson Vineyard (View Label Image) Red, USA, California, Napa Valley	2007 2006 2005 2004 2003
Red	Scholium Project La Cuve En Bois (View Label Image) Red, USA, California	2014
Red	Scholium Project Margit's A1 Margit's Vineyard Red, USA, California, Sonoma County	2006
Red	Scholium Project Margit's Master Blend (View Label Image) Red, USA, California	2006
Red	Scholium Project Nebbia Hillside Block Stolo Vineyards Red, USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County	2021
Red	Scholium Project Nelligan Road Ranch Red, USA, California, Napa Valley, Spring Mountain District	2009
Red	Scholium Project Pergamos Dick Vanderkous Paradise Vineyard (View Label Image) Red, USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Contra Costa County	2016 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010
Red	Scholium Project Pergamos Dick VanDerKous Solitude Vineyard (View Label Image) Red, USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Contra Costa County	2016 2014 2013 2011
Red	Scholium Project Peter Quince at the Clavier Tolenas (View Label Image) Red, USA, California, North Coast, Suisun Valley	2019
Red	Scholium Project Polupous Antle Vineyard (View Label Image) Red, USA, California, Central Coast, Chalone	2014 2013
Red	Scholium Project Proserpina Red, USA, California, Napa Valley	2002
Red	Scholium Project Proserpina Maldonado Los Olivos (View Label Image) Red, USA, California, Napa Valley	2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990
Red	Scholium Project Reserve Wolfskill (View Label Image) Red, USA, California, North Coast, Suisun Valley	2014 2013 2012
Red	Scholium Project Sandlands Duarte Vineyard (View Label Image) Red, USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Contra Costa County	2010 2004
Red	Scholium Project Sandlands Tom Delbarba (View Label Image) Red, USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Contra Costa County	2010
Red	Scholium Project Sangiovese To Kalon and Voyager Vineyards Red, USA, California, Napa Valley	1999
Red	Scholium Project Satrapies of the East (View Label Image) Red, USA, California	2008 2005 2004
Red	Scholium Project Scheria Donati Vineyards Red, USA, California, Napa Valley	2004
Red	Scholium Project Scheria Hudson Vineyard (View Label Image) Red, USA, California, Napa Valley	2004 2002
Red	Scholium Project Scythia Donati Vineyards (View Label Image) Red, USA, California, Central Coast, San Benito County	2004
Red	Scholium Project St. Harry's Chapel (View Label Image) Red, USA, California, North Coast, Solano County	2001
Red	Scholium Project Tenbrink Red, USA, California, Napa Valley	2004
Red	Scholium Project The Courier Shake Ridge Ranch (View Label Image) Red, USA, California, Sierra Foothills, Amador County	2016 2010 2009 2008 2004
Red	Scholium Project The House of Asterion Tolenas (View Label Image) Red, USA, California, North Coast, Suisun Valley	2019 2019
Red	Scholium Project Zinfandel Stampede The Stampede Vineyard (View Label Image) Red, USA, California, Central Valley, Lodi	2015 2013
Red	Scholium Project Zinfandel The Arrows of Apollo Mead Ranch (View Label Image) Red, USA, California, Napa Valley, Atlas Peak	2010
White - Sweet/Dessert	Scholium Project Lydian Queen Oro Puro (View Label Image) White - Sweet/Dessert, USA, California, Napa Valley	2005 2004 2003