Nose
A delightful white wine that possess aromas of honeydew, pineapple and white flower.
Palate
On the palate, luscious tropical notes are complimented by a splash of citrus. The beautiful finish is balanced with minerality and fresh acidity to lighten the hint of sweetness that lingers throughout.
Growing Conditions
The 2023 growing season was cooler and wetter than recent years. Near-record rainfall filled soil profiles while a cooler spring and summer facilitated good vine growth but slowed berry and cluster development. The result was a later harvest. Fortunately, the autumn weather was warm and consistent which helped to fully mature berries. The result was a balanced crop with ripe fruit, high tannins and anthocyanins, all indicators of high quality.
This SIP (Sustainable in Practice) Certified Verdelho vineyard lies in the heart of the Santa Ynez Valley and within the Los Olivos AVA. Soils here are shaly-loam and fine gravelly sand, which helps to keep this sometime vigorous vine balanced due to lower water retention. The Santa Ynez region has a near-perfect temperature during the growing
season; warm but not hot. Early morning marine layers are common in the spring and early summer which helps the vines to grow and the grape clusters to size. The warm days of summer encourage even ripening of the fruit.
Bottling
July 2024
Winemaking
After harvest, the Verdelho grapes were whole-cluster pressed into stainless steel tanks for settling. The juice was then racked off its heavy lees into fresh stainless-steel tanks for fermentation. Throughout the fermentation
process, the wine was tasted daily to monitor its acidity, sugar levels, and alcohol content. Once the wine reached the perfect balance of these elements, fermentation was halted to preserve any residual sugar, ensuring the final wine has a harmonious sweetness without excess alcohol.
Aging
The wine remained in the stainless vessels for the
entirety of aging, with a small portion aged sur lie.
