Folk Machine ‘Parts & Labor’ Red 2023

$20.00

Location: United States, California

Winemaker: Kenny Likitprakong

Grapes: Grenache, Carignane, Syrah

Soil: marine

Winemaking: This is the third vintage that Grenache has dominated the P&L blend and the first with our new label. A blend of Grenache from Mangels Ranch in Suisun Valley, Cedar Lane in Arroyo Seco, and Waddington Ranch in Mendocino, Carignane from Lolonis, Maria Martinson, and Castañon all in Mendocino, and Syrah from Vecino in Potter Valley. There is a good amount of whole cluster and carbonic maceration through the lots keeping everything fresh and fun. As always, the blend was made immediately after harvest with native yeast and the wine was aged in a combination of French oak foudres and stainless steel tanks.

From Kenny on Hobo Wines/Folk Machine: In California, there are primarily three heritage grapes, Zinfandel, Valdiguié, and Charbono. Of those, Zin is pretty widely planted, but Valdiguié and Charbono are sparse and ‘endangered’ if we don’t drink them. We’ve had eyes and ears open for a Charbono that we could foster.

Around the Spring of 2013, we learned that Brian Babcock in Suisun Valley had a small two-acre block of Charbono that was just a few years old after being grafted over from Merlot. Turns out to be a great fit for the region. It is slow ripening even with the warm weather and holds acid. What more could we ask for? Typical for the grape, this wine is very dark in color and heavy in the nose, but it doesn’t live up to this expectation. It actually drinks very pretty, almost light. The tannin level is moderate given the way it looks and smells.

18 years come with some perspective, right or wrong, good or bad. This thing started with two barrels of Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel, no business plan, no real idea how the wine world works, and kind of just a reckless abandon because consequences weren’t something we were aware of. Fast forward to now and we have 1000 barrels or more, no business plan, only a vague idea how the wine world works, and enough responsibility to provide many a sleepless night. We hope we have learned a few things though.

We love wine, vineyards, community, and the way they all interconnect and we have gotten to spend our lives exploring the connection between the three.

We are fortunate. Customers who share our values, sensibility and taste have supported us, what we do, and who we are. This is more than fortunate, this is a blessing.

After nearly two decades, this thing, from an aerial view is actually two things: Winemaking, a craft, maybe an art, definitely an expression, an egocentric place to have an opinion and: wine business, a sometimes shrewd, a sometimes cynical, a sometimes amazing, an always reality check. The two are co-dependent, but not inseparable. Sometimes, we make winemaking decisions and sometimes with responsibility and pseudo-maturity weighing on us inevitably, we make business decisions. We are happy when the two align and the decisions are easy and we are torn, struggling, stressed, and uncertain when they don’t.

So, why? Simply, we don’t know how to do anything else and we don’t want to learn. We have spend our adult lives pursuing one pursuit, one dream, one way of being. Anything else, anything less would be a sacrifice, the worst kind of compromise, and personal failure. The 21st century has given us the luxury to believe that we are entitled, that we deserve to love what we do. We bought into this kind of individual worth, self fulfilling prophecy sort of thinking so full-heartedly that there is absolutely no turning back. The wine world is stuck with Hobo and so are you.

Location: United States, California

Winemaker: Kenny Likitprakong

Grapes: Grenache, Carignane, Syrah

Soil: marine

Winemaking: This is the third vintage that Grenache has dominated the P&L blend and the first with our new label. A blend of Grenache from Mangels Ranch in Suisun Valley, Cedar Lane in Arroyo Seco, and Waddington Ranch in Mendocino, Carignane from Lolonis, Maria Martinson, and Castañon all in Mendocino, and Syrah from Vecino in Potter Valley. There is a good amount of whole cluster and carbonic maceration through the lots keeping everything fresh and fun. As always, the blend was made immediately after harvest with native yeast and the wine was aged in a combination of French oak foudres and stainless steel tanks.

From Kenny on Hobo Wines/Folk Machine: In California, there are primarily three heritage grapes, Zinfandel, Valdiguié, and Charbono. Of those, Zin is pretty widely planted, but Valdiguié and Charbono are sparse and ‘endangered’ if we don’t drink them. We’ve had eyes and ears open for a Charbono that we could foster.

Around the Spring of 2013, we learned that Brian Babcock in Suisun Valley had a small two-acre block of Charbono that was just a few years old after being grafted over from Merlot. Turns out to be a great fit for the region. It is slow ripening even with the warm weather and holds acid. What more could we ask for? Typical for the grape, this wine is very dark in color and heavy in the nose, but it doesn’t live up to this expectation. It actually drinks very pretty, almost light. The tannin level is moderate given the way it looks and smells.

18 years come with some perspective, right or wrong, good or bad. This thing started with two barrels of Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel, no business plan, no real idea how the wine world works, and kind of just a reckless abandon because consequences weren’t something we were aware of. Fast forward to now and we have 1000 barrels or more, no business plan, only a vague idea how the wine world works, and enough responsibility to provide many a sleepless night. We hope we have learned a few things though.

We love wine, vineyards, community, and the way they all interconnect and we have gotten to spend our lives exploring the connection between the three.

We are fortunate. Customers who share our values, sensibility and taste have supported us, what we do, and who we are. This is more than fortunate, this is a blessing.

After nearly two decades, this thing, from an aerial view is actually two things: Winemaking, a craft, maybe an art, definitely an expression, an egocentric place to have an opinion and: wine business, a sometimes shrewd, a sometimes cynical, a sometimes amazing, an always reality check. The two are co-dependent, but not inseparable. Sometimes, we make winemaking decisions and sometimes with responsibility and pseudo-maturity weighing on us inevitably, we make business decisions. We are happy when the two align and the decisions are easy and we are torn, struggling, stressed, and uncertain when they don’t.

So, why? Simply, we don’t know how to do anything else and we don’t want to learn. We have spend our adult lives pursuing one pursuit, one dream, one way of being. Anything else, anything less would be a sacrifice, the worst kind of compromise, and personal failure. The 21st century has given us the luxury to believe that we are entitled, that we deserve to love what we do. We bought into this kind of individual worth, self fulfilling prophecy sort of thinking so full-heartedly that there is absolutely no turning back. The wine world is stuck with Hobo and so are you.