LIOCO 'Indica' Mendocino County Red Blend 2023

Winemaking

LIOCO Wine Company was founded on the principle of sourcing exceptional fruit from Mendocino County's diverse microclimates and crafting wines that express place with restraint and precision. The team prioritizes cool-climate ripening and minimal intervention in the cellar, allowing the vineyard's character to shine through without heavy oak or extraction.

Tasting Notes

Indica opens with bright red fruit aromatics—tart cherry and cranberry—layered with subtle white pepper and an earthy minerality that speaks to Mendocino's volcanic soils. On the palate, the wine is elegant and composed, with silky tannins that feel refined rather than aggressive, while flavors of red cherry and a whisper of slate minerality carry through to a clean, persistent finish. The blend's structure is naturally food-friendly, neither heavy nor thin, with just enough backbone to pair confidently across the dinner table.

Producer

LIOCO focuses exclusively on Mendocino County fruit, working with carefully selected vineyard partners across the region's varied elevations and exposures. The winery's small-batch approach and commitment to minimal-intervention winemaking have established it as a thoughtful voice in California's cool-climate movement, balancing commercial viability with genuine terroir expression.

Terroir

Mendocino County's coastal influence and elevation changes create a patchwork of cool microclimates ideal for elegant, balanced reds. The county's volcanic and sedimentary soils—particularly in the sites contributing to this blend—impart mineral tension and spice that keeps the wine from becoming overripe, even in California's warm growing season. Indica's composition of Pinot Noir, Carignan, and Syrah allows LIOCO to blend across these diverse vineyard sites, capturing the region's complexity in a single bottle.

Food Pairings

Try this wine with pan-seared duck breast finished with a cherry gastrique, or alongside a simple roasted chicken with herbs and roasted root vegetables. For casual weeknight drinking, it's equally at home with a well-made burger or charcuterie board featuring prosciutto, aged cheddar, and marcona almonds.