Les Lunes Wine 2022 Macerated Chardonnay, Searby Vineyard, Sonoma Coast

Vineyard Notes: The Searby Vineyard rests deep in West Sonoma County near the town of Occidental. The soils are Goldrige Sandy Loam, which are deep and well drained and are formed from material weathered from weakly consolidated sandstone. The texture of these soils and the vineyard’s location lends itself well to dry-farming. The vines were planted in the late 1970’s, making them almost 50 years old. Searby Vineyard is a historically signficant site with a (still working) drainage system built by the WPA during the great depression. Second growth redwoods line this coastal vineyard and its incredibly cool climate lends wines of amazing depth and freshness.

Les Lunes manages and performs all aspects of farming at the Searby Vineyard. In spite of challenging growing conditions, they work 100% organically. The vineyard is completely dry-farmed with no irrigation and they practice no-till farming as well. As a result, the soils and surrounding areas are beaming with life. A section of the vineyard is planted to a Chardonnay Musqué clone, giving incredible depth and aromatic character to the grapes.

Winemaking Notes: The vineyard was hand-harvested over the course of 4 days and the fresh grapes were destemmed and allowed to ferment on the skins for 14 days prior to pressing. One gentle punchdown per day was performed throughout the fermentation. The finished wine aged in a combination of stainless steel and Flextanks with zero oak aging to preserve freshness and fruit character. After 7 months, the wine was racked for bottling and 18 ppm sulfur was added.

Tasting Notes: Incredibly powerful and rich, yet still bright and fresh, these paradoxical qualities define this wine. On the palate, the wine is dense and full without being overbearing and has a long and fresh finish. The maceration on the skins lends this wine exceptional texture and mouthfeel. The gentle tannins work in harmony with the full texture that Chardonnay can contribute. Notes of apricot and stone fruit stand out on the nose, but a fine streak of minerality, plushness and acid carries the wine through the finish.