Palate
The chilly climate and very long growing season allows the grapes to retain a high natural acidity, while the narrow diurnal temperatures of the growing season results in extraordinarily flavorful grapes. Rich and creamy with golden mango, pineapple, yellow peach, and honeysuckle flower flavors, plus a hint of tangerine. Oak barrel aging adds notes of buttered biscuits and vanilla bean to the palate and long, lingering finish.
Growing Conditions
Established in 1981, the Santa Maria Valley AVA is nestled along the California Coast in a rare east-west mountain range, unlike the more common north-south valleys. This creates a giant funnel from the Paci c, ushering a cooling marine in uence into the region on an almost daily basis.
Aging
10 months in 96% French oak (40% new). Full malolactic secondary fermentation, lees stirred every 2 weeksAlcohol:
