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Circadian Cellars 2022 Primitivo Hodge & Sons Vineyard
Four Medal Winning Vintages in a Row
Sara Garr knocked my socks off right off the bat.
We were sitting outside on a freezing day, but I couldn’t help but get excited by her warm and vibrant enthusiasm for her wines. She’s a local; grew up in Medford, went to University of Oregon, and came home to work in restaurants and the bottle shop at Harry & David’s. It didn’t take long before she was intrigued to learn more about the wines she was serving and selling.
Next up, a job at Quady North and Barrel 42 with famed winemakers Nichole Schulte, Herb Quady & Brian Gruber. Before long, Sara was developing her own perspective on winemaking, some have even called it a sort of subversive and feminist style. She’s been able to work with fruit from some of the best-known vineyards in Southern Oregon but always with her own take on the wine.
Most of all, she’s committed to showcasing the wines grown in her beloved Southern Oregon in a way that’s approachable to broader audiences – friends and friends of friends that she hopes to get hooked on wine from Southern Oregon. In 2024, Sara made the great leap to focus 100% of her time on her own brand, so in addition to making her phenomenal wines, you can now often see her out and about at pouring events throughout the state. Be sure to follow her on Instagram to know where she'll be!
Cellar 503 Tasting Notes
Circadian Cellars, Medford, Oregon
2022 Primitivo Hodge & Sons Vineyard
Primitivo is a clone or cousin of Zinfandel (from Croatia) that was imported to Italy. The name Primitivo roughly translates to "early one" and refers to the grape's early-ripening nature. Primitivo's natural fruit forward lushness make it a good match for hearty dishes like braised meats, roasts, and aged cheeses. It also pairs well with chocolate desserts.
For years, it was believed that Primitivo was an American wine grape, Zinfandel, that had been imported to Italy. But when DNA analysis was conducted in the 1990s, the world learned the truth: Primitivo and Zinfandel are actually mutually descending from a Croatian grape -- Crljenak Kaštelanski – discovered in the garden of an elderly woman on the Adriatic coast of Georgia.
Aromatics of violets and blueberries, bright pomegranate and ripe raspberry notes tantalize the nose. It sings on your tongue with bright cherry popsicle flavors and juicy red fruit. But this isn’t just a one-note fruit bomb. It has layers of flavors including savory mushrooms, dried strawberries, and astringent black tea with a nice thread of minerality flowing through.
This single vineyard expression of the grape was grown at Hodge & Sons Vineyards. This dark ruby nectar is tight upon opening and will need to breathe.
A Cellar 503 selection in June 2025, Savor Southern Oregon Applegate Valley | Primitivo
