Winemaker Notes

Clarksburg Viticultural Area

Clarksburg is located just south of Sacramento along the Sacramento River Delta waterways. The vines are planted along the well-draining sandy loam soils of the region. While the Central Valley can get very hot during the day, the Delta Winds and river influence cool the region down significantly at night, allowing for cohesive ripening of acids with grape’s sugars and creating wines of significant structure and finesse.

Vintage

The 2022 vintage was marked by a late start with cool weather (and even a few snows!) into April and early May. The weather warmed up as August arrived and featured several extended heat streaks, which made it challenging to forecast appropriate picking times. That said, overall the 2022 wines show tremendous aromatics, structure, and depth.

Varietal

Chenin Blanc is named after Mount Chenin and originates from the Loire Valley in France. The grapes are planted along the sandy loam soils of the Loire Valley. Chenin is very much a “winemaker’s grape” in the way in which the grape is processed and aged can drastically change the final wine. Chenin styles can range from light, crisp and completely dry and zippy (our style!), to more rounded , weighty and even off-dry. The versatility of the grape and the intense acid structure make Chenin Blanc a tremendous compliment to foods, especially those with sweet, sour, and fatty characteristics like Asian-style cuisine.