The Wine: ‘Ode to Emil’
- Appearance is clear, pale lemon, light to medium intensity
- Nose is very clean with medium intensity
- This wine was excited to come into the world as I was hit with pronounced aromas when I poured the first glass
- Aromas of white flower, maybe honeysuckle, pear, salinity, and minerals
- Medium-bodied on the palate
- Dry, but rounded with mouth-watering acidity
- On the palate, notes of white florals, juicy pear, and minerals
- Long and elegant finish
- A very special wine
- I could not stop drinking this wine. I drank the bottle in one night and now wish I had another.
- This 2016 Scribe Sylvaner could have easily laid down for another 4-5 years. The acidity would have kept the wine fresh and alive.

The Winery: Scribe
Scribe was founded by brothers Andrew and Adam Mariani in 2007 in Sonoma, California. The brothers transformed a historic property into an oasis of California cool, creating an inviting space for friends to come together and discover new wines. Scribe practices non-interventionist winemaking methods and abides by the philosophy that vineyard management in harmony with the greater surroundings and ecosystem produces more site-specific wines representative of place.
Check out this blog post to learn more about Scribe winery, the incredible Hacienda tasting experience, and the winery’s perfect pairing for the Scribe Sylvaner.
The Region: Arrowhead Slope, Sonoma
Sonoma County encompasses 18 AVAs in total with elevations ranging from sea level to 2,600 feet above sea level. The region has 11 different geographical formations and 31 various soil series within those parameters. Talk about diversity! The Pacific Ocean provides a maritime influence to the region via the Petaluma Gap, Russian River, and San Pablo Bay.
Technically, Scribe is located within the Sonoma Coast AVA, though Arrowhead Slope is named on many of their labels, the 2016 Scribe Sylvaner included. Scribe has planted only one acre of Sylvaner on the southwest-facing hillside slope of Arrowhead Mountain. The Scribe Sylvaner was planted in homage to Emil Dresel who first brought Sylvaner to California and cultivated the estate where Scribe stands today. Hence, the name ‘Ode to Emil.’ The vineyard is organically farmed and exhibits volcanic tuff and Huichica loam soils.
Pairing Suggestions:
- Crispy snap peas in Greek yogurt and za’atar
- Grilled seabass stuffed with fresh herbs and citrus
- Lemongrass chicken
- Green papaya salad
- Shrimp Louie