2023 Chenin BlancSt. Helena, Napa Valley

From over 2000 acres of Chenin planted in the Napa Valley in the 1980's, there are now only 18 acres! Finding it is difficult but rewarding.

This is our tenth bottling of Chenin Blanc from a small vineyard in St. Helena. It was picked on September 18, 2023, and was fermented by native yeasts, and aged sur lie in used French Oak barrels for a total of 6 months. 

The 2023 Chenin Blanc is a vintage that attains a level of mastery in its exacting typicity, classic personality and succulent manner. 

It is clean and expressive, with apricot blossoms, cotton, wool, and incense, and a minerally stone element that together make for a wine with complexity, cut and softness.  We ferment and age this wine in oak barrels---most of them neutral, creating a focused, deliberate and ageable wine. This wine is a stunner! It should age gracefully for up to 10 years.

A native of the Loire region, Chenin Blanc was once widely popular in California.  It is making a comeback and many small producers are again paying Chenin particularly close attention.