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 Clone 95, originally grown in Dijon in Burgundy, France. Clone 95 is suited for a cool-weather site like Pali Vineyard, and
although it crops at below average quantities, we prefer its 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 and 50% neutral French oak barrels for 480 days before bottled. Malolactic fermentation is partially inhibited, resulting in a crisp style of
Chardonnay. 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 Pacific’s cooling influence through fog, wind and moderating summer heat combine to form one of the world’s best cool-climate viticulture areas for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
Winemaker Notes
Subtle aromas of hazelnut, white peach, lemon peel and dried apple show on the nose of this bottling. There is a toasted hazelnut touch to the palate, cut by a tangy lemon paste flavor and a strong sizzle of lime-juice acidity.
Accolades
94 Points, Wine Enthusiast