2018 Stolpman Vineyards - Chenin Blanc, Combe, Ballard Canyon (750ml)
Price: $34.99
Combe is a collaboration between Rajat Parr and Pete Stolpman. While researching his Atlas of Taste, Rajat Parr was told by Loire Valley growers that, to craft serious Chenin Blanc, all grapes harvested must be of a deep yellow hue. This presents a challenge; typically, in France, harvest occurs in one fell swoop. That means that in France, growers must wait until every last grape has acheived this ripeness, often sacraficing precious acidity with grapes that edged too far into ripness. Pete's father, Tom Stolpman, however, committed to fair, living wages and full-time staff early in his winery's history, determined to undo the damage of seasonal hiring on his employees and their families. This yielded innumerable benefits; they began to better understand their vines thanks to vineyard manager Ruben Solorzano, who helped them understand just how windy their vines really were, and exactly when vines 'drank' and needed water during the day. It also meant that because they had full-time staff ready to react, they could harvest in multiple passes to maximize both ripeness and freshness (acidity). The results speak for themselves: this is is a rich, regal Chenin Blanc with a dry, citrus-laden finish, some allusions to petrol, and a complexity that's eye-opening for a Chenin outside of the Loire!
- Producer: Stolpman Vineyards
- Country: United States
- Region: California
- Subregion: Ballard Canyon
- Variety: Chenin Blanc
- Vintage: 2018
- Sku: 10595
- Size: 750ml
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