Fort Ross Vineyard Chenin Blanc Estate Vineyard Fort Ross-Seaview 2022

Chenin Blanc | US

New $44.00 $39.95 $19.95 6+ bottles | 750mL

9% off retail!

Price drops to $19.95 per bottle when you purchase 6 or more!

Racy, plush, and crisp, this 2022 chenin blanc is proof that an Old World variety can thrive among the rocky cliffs of Sonoma’s coastline – get some for under $20 when you order 6+!

Set on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, the vineyard and winery works with a small crew to assemble some seriously delicious, award-winning wines. Not many folks grow grapes in the Fort Ross-Seaview AVA, as the terrain is mountainous and often dense with forestland. But, when Linda and Lester Schwartz bought a section on the high coastal ridges above the ocean in 1988, they had a vision to do what had rarely been done in those parts: grow exceptional grapes, and make fabulous wines. Against the advice of academics who told them the location was too cool and foggy to grow grapes, they spent a few years experimenting on their 53-acre vineyard, playing with various clones, rootstocks, and trellising systems before discovering they had the ideal land and location to farm generous and energetic pinot noir, chardonnay, and even chenin blanc grapes.

Jeff Pisoni (from Pisoni Family Vineyards) makes the wines in close collaboration with Linda and Lester, using a minimalist approach to allow the terroir and coastal location to speak boldly through the wines. The trio walks the vineyard together throughout the growing season to taste fruit from each block and determine when to hand-harvest each section. The grapes undergo hand-sorting and gentle whole cluster pressing before going into neutral French oak barrels for primary and malolactic fermentation, allowing the fruit qualities to shine while bringing in additional texture variation. Aging occurs over 11 months to allow just enough integration and maturation prior to bottling.

This is just the second vintage of chenin blanc for the winery – and, yet, it’s as though it was always meant to be grown and produced right here among the rocky coastline of the Pacific! With a cheerful lemony-hay color, the wines pour with aromas of supple pear, lemon tart, and wet river rocks waltzing together seamlessly. More lemon notes, plus some juicy stone fruit, cantaloupe, and Golden Delicious apple, approach on the palate, alongside a bit of Madagascar vanilla, a sprinkle of cardamom and cinnamon from the oak, and an acidic sea spray element lent from the near proximity of crashing waves and ocean air. While it’s got fruity fleshiness, it’s also demonstrably crisp and fresh, with loads of complexity, texture, and concentration! Only 162 cases made, this is an unbelievable and limited Sonoma Coast wine, from a producer who consistently hits bangers...just make sure you order your 6-pack to ensure the unheard of under-$20 price tag!

PAIRING IDEAS: Chenin Blanc like this is an excellent fit for roasted onion tarts – especially when you toss in a smattering of bright and tangy goat cheese.

About the Producer

In 1988, Lester and Linda Schwartz embarked on a bold venture by acquiring a section of virgin forest and grasslands in the high coastal ridges of the Sonoma coast, overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Despite academic warnings about the risks of planting a vineyard in the cool, foggy conditions so close to the ocean, they remained undeterred. Over several years, they experimented with various clones, rootstocks, and trellising systems, ultimately determining that their property had the potential to cultivate exceptional Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. By 1994, after meticulously sourcing heritage clones to highlight the terroir and varietal typicity, Lester and Linda began preparing and planting the first vineyard blocks. They personally dug plant holes and planted vines, carefully laying out their 53-acre vineyard with roads, underground drainage, and irrigation systems. They also developed a reservoir and designed a custom trellis system. In homage to their South African roots, they sourced Pinotage bud wood from the original founding blocks in South Africa, becoming the first private growers to import grapevine cuttings through the Foundation Plant Services in collaboration with the U.C. Davis School of Viticulture and Enology. Today, Lester and Linda work closely with Jeff Pisoni, who joined Fort Ross as winemaker in 2009. Together, they regularly walk the vineyard, making viticultural decisions and determining the optimal harvest times for each block. Lester and Linda continue to oversee the day-to-day vineyard operations. Their relentless efforts in transforming this untamed, extreme location into a spectacular vineyard have proven the academics wrong.