American Wine Project, driven by the passion and vision of Winemaker Erin Rasmussen — a Wisconsin native with winemaking experience from California to New Zealand — began in an experimental vineyard block at a large California winery. Confronted with the potential of the Upper Midwest hybrid grapes she was tasting — grapes she knew could be grown in her homeland — she asked herself a bold question: What if the overlooked and often frowned-upon grape varieties of the Upper Midwest could produce truly beautiful, complex wines? Prompted by this experience, Erin returned home to Wisconsin determined to prove they could.

Working with cold-hardy varieties developed in northwest Wisconsin and Minnesota, American Wine Project embraces low-intervention, traditional techniques while prioritizing biodiversity and minimal vineyard inputs.

Summer Land is crafted from 100% Brianna, a hybrid white grape variety.  The grapes experience a short whole-cluster soak, and then are barrel fermented and aged, undergoeing full malolactic fermentation. Brianna is a psychedelically tropical grape, with intensely ripe thiols. These aromas include guava, pineapple and passionfruit. Summer Land is as aromatically compelling as a Marlborough Sauvignon blanc, but has the rich texture and mouthfeel that you'd find in a barrel-fermented, thoughtful version.