The 2022 is characterized as a challenging year in our 40 years of viticulture. What began as a relatively normal growing season, quickly turned hot like we have never seen before. The week of Labor Day the vines were severely damaged due to the 100° F temperatures. We saw sugars spike in Pinot Noir well ahead of ripening. Despite the scorching weather, the wines turned out remarkable. They are rich and full bodied due to the escalating sugars. Every vintage tells a story; the 2022 vintage will be remembered for the heat wave that pushed us to our limits. The wines reflect these challenges but are ultimately delicious, shockingly fresh, and representative of this wild season.

Our 2022 Santa Cruz Mountains chardonnay is a blend from our estate vineyards, Langley Hill and Damiana Vineyard.

Langley Hill Vineyard is our largest estate Chardonnay. Planted in 1979-1980, this 5.25-acre vineyard occupies a steep hillside with numerous exposures and soil depths. This complex arrangement leads to slower and varied ripening, requiring multiple picks spread over weeks rather than days. Fractured sandstone over Lambert Shale yields Chardonnay that is steely and structured with persistent citrus and mineral flavors.

Damiana Vineyard is our oldest vineyard, planted in 1978, often producing dense and opulent Chardonnay. Its exposure is primarily southwestern, leading to more sun during the growing season, though this site is heavily influenced by maritime breeze most afternoons. Shallow topsoil of fractured Lambert Shale and mudstone limit vigor and lead to wines with great concentration and intensity. This vineyard is typically the first to be harvested of our estate Chardonnay.