Vineyards:
The Chenin Blanc comes from the Clarksburg appellation, referred to as the “Gem of the Delta”, which is over in the Sacramento river delta. This means that it is fairly warm with an almost constant breeze which helps to retain freshness and acidity in the grapes. The soils tend to be deep clay with excellent water holding capacity. The trellising is bi-lateral cordon. The Viognier is sourced from Lodi, which has a classic Mediterranean climate, with warm days and cool nights. The San Joaquin/Sacramento River Delta provides cooling breezes.
Vinification:
The grapes were destemmed and crushed upon arrival at the winery. The free run juice was combined with the press fraction to increase mouth feel. Two different types of yeast were used to add complexity and aromatics. Fermentation took place at a cool temperature of 13ºC. The wine was aged in stainless-steel tanks without malolactic fermentation in order to retain the pure varietal fruit character in the final wine.
