Dirt Mariah Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc Mendocino Ridge 2023

For Nicole and Michael, wine has always been about more than what’s in the glass. It’s about what happens beneath the surface—literally. When they began asking hard questions about farming, additives, and the long-term health of the land, they found their answers in regenerative agriculture. Not as a trend, but as a commitment to rebuilding soils, restoring ecosystems, and proving that wine can be both delicious and deeply responsible.

DIRT was born from that conviction. By transitioning Nicole’s family vineyard to regenerative practices, they set out to challenge industry norms around transparency and sustainability. In 2021, their efforts reached a milestone when DIRT became the first wines in the world to carry the Savory Institute’s Global Land to Market Verified regenerative seal. It wasn’t about accolades. This career highlight demonstrated what’s possible when farming and winemaking work in harmony with nature.

The 2023 Mariah Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc from the Mariah Vineyard in Mendocino is a pure expression of that philosophy. Fermented with indigenous yeasts in a blend of older French oak and stainless steel, then aged patiently on lees before finishing in cement, this Sauvignon Blanc favors restraint over excess. Crisp, textural, and quietly complex, it channels a more Old World sensibility—refreshing and precise, with none of the overt opulence often associated with the variety.

In the glass, it’s lively and layered, opening with flavors of lemon verbena, grapefruit, white peach, and lime, balanced by citrus blossom, ginger spice, and a distinctive stony minerality. Irresistible now for its energy and clarity, it also promises an intriguing evolution with time in the cellar. This is Sauvignon Blanc with purpose—bright, thoughtful, and deeply connected to the land that produced it.