Description
Growing up in East Los Angeles, Curt Schalchlin didn’t encounter wine until his college years at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, where he studied business. A part-time job at Trader Joe’s introduced him to bottles from around the world, and what began as casual weekend tasting quickly evolved into a deeper fascination—one that would ultimately shape his career. Curt’s path into winemaking took a decisive turn when he joined his friend McPrice Myers in launching a new winery. Working alongside Myers and Russell From of Herman Story and Barrel 27, Curt developed a lasting affinity for Rhône varietals. A formative trip to France’s Rhône Valley, along with a conversation with Bernard Gripa, a third-generation grower in Saint-Joseph, solidified his vision. Inspired, Curt founded his own label, Sans Liege—French for “without allegiance”—reflecting a philosophy rooted in independence and exploration. Groundwork represents Curt’s second label, dedicated to single-varietal wines sourced from select Central Coast vineyards. Focused on purity and fundamentals, Groundwork channels the empirical knowledge Curt has honed through Sans Liege into wines that evoke the soul, simplicity, and everyday beauty of Europe’s great wine regions.
This bottling is 100% Zinfandel from the Old Potrero Vineyard located deep in the Arroyo Grande Valley along the San Luis Obispo Coast. This vineyard is an organically farmed, non-irrigated sandy soil site with 33-year-old vines that produce ccool-climate,vibrant Zinfandel. Upon arrival to the winery, all fruit was cluster sorted and destemmed into an open-top stainless steel fermentor. Spontaneous fermentation then began with native yeasts, and the tank was given one pumpover per day until dry. Upon completion of fermentation, the fruit was gently pressed, separating the juice from the skins. The pomace was collected and hauled offsite to be utilized as fertilizer and biofuel. The juice was sent to large-format, mostly neutral French barriques to age for 17 months. Lastly, the wine was blended and bottled unfined and unfiltered with minimal SO2. The result is a lively, red-fruited expression of Zinfandel packed with scents and flavors of mixed red berries and warm exotic spices. The palate is ripe and bursting with red plum and black raspberry layered with more red cherries and peppery, spiced complexity. Medium-bodied with moderate, approachable tannins and a vivacious, fresh acidity through the perfectly ripe and rewarding finish. The perfect choice for your next summer BBQ, pair it with a variety of grilled meats or veggies.
