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When Drake Whitcraft took over the family winery in 2007 (the winery was founded two decades before, in 1985 by his parents, Chris and Kathleen) his goal was to make balanced Central Coast wine of purity, honesty, and finesse. Because he grew up within the culture of wine and California winemaking, he was perpetually under the tutelage of both father Chris and friend Burt Williams, founder of the legendary Williams-Selyem winery in Sonoma
Winemaker: Drake Whitcraft
Farming: Organic
Terroir: Pence Ranch, south-southwest exposure on loamy hills.
Variety: Chardonnay, Dijon 76 + Mt Eden clones
Vinification: hand-harvesting, foot-pressing, no added enzymes. Fermented in barrel for 12 days. Gravity racked, then pushed with Argon to tank for a 100% gravity
bottling on in-house line. 100% malolactic fermentation. Never racked off the the lees. No fining, no filtration
Scores: 93pts, Wine Enthusiast: Very chalky on the nose in a Chablis-like style, this bottling, which is made in a warehouse just blocks from the beach in Santa Barbara, shows aromas of lemon blossom and Gravenstein apple. It's extremely tightly wound on the sip, with a savory salt character as well as lemon balm flavors. It's texturally intriguing and compelling. —Matt Kettmann
100 cases produced.