2023 Carneros Pinot Blanc

This distinctive wine is crafted from Pinot Blanc grapes grown on our Estate Vineyards at Grace Benoist Ranch. Vines were planted in the year 2000, in well- draining cobbly loam soils. The cooler temperatures here provide for a long and even growing season, allowing fruit to fully mature while still preserving natural acidity. Pinot Blanc tends to be the most vigorous and productive of all the Pinot varieties, but the limiting soils of Grace Benoist Ranch and our lower-yielding vine selections alongside deliberate crop thinning help to moderate cluster size and reduce yield, offering fruit with pure varietal expression. Grace Benoist Ranch is farmed using environmentally sound viticultural practices. The estate is sustainably farmed and certified by the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance. As part of our sustainability practices, sheep graze the vineyards in early spring, thinning the winter cover crops without the use of tractors.

The grapes for our Carneros Pinot Blanc were handpicked at night to preserve freshness and acidity. After gentle whole-cluster pressing, the juice was transferred to neutral French oak barrels for fermentation. The wine was then aged sur lie (on the lees) for 10 months before a very gentle bottling. To showcase the unique terroir of Grace Benoist Ranch and the true expression of the varietal, this wine did not go through malolactic fermentation.