About The Wine
In 2015 our own estate vineyard produced its first harvestable crop of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. With a vineyard of our own, we’ve been able to use the techniques and wisdom passed on to us by local legends, collaborators and wine-growers to cultivate perfectly specific Pinot Noir and Chardonnay for our own winemaking. Pali Vineyard spans 50 acres in Gypsy Canyon of the Sta. Rita Hills appellation in Santa Barbara County. 6 acres are planted to Chardonnay, where the grapes are farmed using the highest quality, least intrusive and most sustainable farming practices. On Pali Vine-yard there is a bio-diversity of life including wild plants, grasses and insects, helping to naturally maintain healthy soils without the use of chemical farming. We chose to plant clones originally grown in Dijon in Burgundy, France that are suited for a cool-weather site like Pali Vineyard, and although they can crop at below average quantities, we prefer the superior quality when used to make elegant, mineral and acid-driven Chardonnays like this one. The grapes for this estate Chardonnay were hand harvested and hand sorted before fermented in small lots and barrel aged in 50% new French oak barrels and 50% neutral French oak barrels for 420 days before bottled. All of our vineyard designated wines express the nuanced characteristics discovered on remarkably unique and excellent vineyards.
The AVA
With a total area of 30,720 acres, the Sta. Rita Hills AVA is home to over 59 vineyards, totaling 2,700 hundred acres planted to Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and 18 other cool climate wine grape varieties. The combination of a purely East/West maritime throat, poor marine-based soils, elevated calcium in the soil and the PacificÕs cooling influence through fog, wind and moderating summer heat combine to form one of the worldÕs best cool-climate viticulture areas for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
Winemaker Notes
This bottling shows a purity of aroma and flavors, starting with sea salt, russet apples and light marshmallow on the nose. The palate shows pan-seared apples with a touch of sea salt, white peach and a hint of hazelnut, with a flash of crème brûlée on the finish.
Accolades
93 Points, Wine Enthusiast / 92 Points, Wine Advocate