The 2023 Folk Machine Charbono leans into California’s darker, more idiosyncratic side with a grin. Inky blackberry skin, mulberry, and crushed violets lead, followed by cracked pepper, iron-rich earth, and a faint whiff of smoked herbs. There’s a gentle feral edge—something wild but well-behaved—wrapped around juicy acidity and fine, grippy tannins that keep it lively rather than heavy. It drinks like a rediscovered backroad grape given a fresh voice: soulful, savory, and quietly thrilling, especially with char or flame nearby.
