2023
California
broken swallowtail
This drop is very much an homage to California in many ways. The Golden State has so much diversity of landscape, climate, and culture. From surfers and their sandy spring suits in SoCal to winemakers and their dusty boots in NorCal, our home state is one of a kind.
So, too, is Broken Swallowtail, our eighth drop. It is a 2023 California Red Wine. That means that it does not have 75% or more of any one grape varietal in it. Instead, we are allowed to select the very best lots we have and blend them to make the best possible wine we can. In this case, inspired by the California vibe, we relied on heavy doses of the most Californian of all varieties, Zinfandel, and the most famous of all Napa varieties, Cabernet Sauvignon. The blend is undeniably delicious, and extremely versatile. Bursting with brambly berry fruit and jammy flavors, and backed by enough tannin to pair perfectly with more robust cuisine.
our
approach
Most European wines are known by where they come from, not their grape variety. At Gestalt we really embrace that philosophy because it puts the focus on just creating deliciousness, and not getting caught up in any dogmatic debates about what any one varietal “should” taste like or alienating some subset of our members because they don’t think they like a certain variety. It’s just all about bringing everyone together around a table with some really tasty wine to have a good time. Very Californian attitude, n’est-ce pas?
a message
from dave
To grow up in West Los Angeles in the late 80’s early 90’s was an amazing combination of skateboarding, surfing, punk rock and other things we won’t mention. This drop is an homage to that era and the swallowtail surf board I coveted in my youth.
exploring
this drops
theme
The joie de vivre of surf culture and the beaches of Southern California inspired this drop. For Drop 008, our quarterly zine discusses things that are broken, unbroken and the significance of the swallowtail butterfly. We explore the butterfly crest flown in battle during feudal Japan, that led to the shogunate era; the regenerative power of stem cells in ourselves and the animal world, the chronology of priceless objects that were broken and the origins of surfing.
To expand our theme to the physical, each drop includes what we affectionately call our “art object”. In true Gestalt fashion, nostalgia is strong in this drop - with a Sailor Jerry inspired temporary tattoo; a more mature and nuanced take on the crackerjack box toys of our collective youths. Sailor Jerry captures the counterculture instincts of our brand, with his disruptive approach to tattoo culture that simultaneously was refined and elevated.
