Symphony Grape:  ​The Symphony grape is a California crossing of Muscat of Alexandria (Zibbibo) and Grenache Gris developed in 1948 (but not commercially released until 1982) by the late Harold Olmo, professor of viticulture at the University of California, Davis. As its pedigree suggests, it is a seductively aromatic wine with delightfully captivating aromas that are markedly floral with slightly spicy flavors.
Mendocino County, California
Unknown
Alluvial plains, gravelly loams. Alluvial plains distribute highly fertile sands and soils from rivers. Loam is a crumbly soil with roughly equal proportions of clay, sand, and silt.
Organic
Fermented and aged 5 months in stainless steel and wine flextanks. 173 cases produced.
Drink now
Notes of white peach, lilac,and peppery, lychee fruit. The palate greets you with crisp acidity and flavors of honeydew melon. The wine finishes with a soft, toasty creaminessand lingering spice.
Stir-fries, spring salads, fresh seafood, and creamy pasta dishes.
Theodora Lee, a veteran winemaker with over 20 years reigning as the Queen of the Mendocino wine region, would rightly like to see more large wine industry players embrace black winemakers to help the latter have more visibility in the wine marketplace. She helms one of the few Black women-owned wineries in California. Harlem Wine Gallery has hosted Theodora Lee, and we love her wines, her energy, and her representation of good wine. Also an attorney, Theodora brings an astute precision to her wine making, from understanding the environment, the soil, the tools and methods for consistently good wines. “'One of the best things about running Theopolis Vineyards is alchemizing my vision into
reality, harnessing a dream, delivering a superior product, and bringing pleasure in the
bottle to the consumer,' she said." This statement is from a comprehensive article about Theodora Lee by the Press Democrat, which I recommend you all read. This is a comprehensive article delving into her professional experience and becoming a strong presence in the Black winemaking community. (I intended to write much more here, but this article paints a thorough portrait of Theodora's experience, which is why this section is a wee truncated.)
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Theodora Lee's vineyards are in the Mendocino AVA, in the Yorkville Highlands. The Mendocino AVA also regulates Anderson Valley and Redwood Valley. It's a V-shaped valley, and the land benefits from the watershed and basin drainage from the Russian and Navarro Rivers, and elevation ranges from 1,100-1,600 feet. Mediterranean grapes like Carignan and Grencahe, and fuller bodied grapes like Zinfandel, Syrah, and Petit Syrah thrive in the Mendocino climate that is marked by warmer winters and cooler summers. Winters tend to have plentiful rain and summers are much drier, allowing the vines to work into a well-filled water table. We're excited for you to sample Theodora Lee's Symphony white wine, hailing from a small wine paradise.
