Pine Ridge Clarksburg Chenin Blanc Viognier 2023

Pine Ridge Clarksburg Chenin Blanc Viognier 

Region: Napa Valley, California, USA

Vintage: 2023

Bottle size: 75cl

Grape: 78% Chenin Blanc 22% Viognier

ABV: 12%

Crisp, bright, and lively, this wine boasts aromas of honeysuckle, orange blossom, nectarine, white peach, and ginger spice. On the palate, there are ripe fruit flavours of tangerine, lime, lemon curd alongside more herbal notes of lemongrass and ginger. It is medium-bodied, with refreshing acidity and a hint of lime on the long, round finish.

The Chenin Blanc comes from the Clarksburg appellation, referred to as the “Gem of the Delta”, which is over in the Sacramento river delta. This means that it is fairly warm with an almost constant breeze which helps to retain freshness and acidity in the grapes. The soils tend to be deep clay with excellent water holding capacity. The trellising is bi-lateral cordon. The viognier is sourced from Lodi, which has a classic Mediterranean climate, with warm days and cool nights. The San Joaquin/Sacramento river delta provides cooling breezes.

The 80 hectare Pine Ridge estate was founded in 1978 when Gary Andrus planted the property’s original vineyard in Stags Leap on a terraced hillside flanked by a ridge of pine trees. They now have vineyards across five sub-zones in Napa: four in the Stags Leap District; three in Rutherford; three in Carneros and one each in Howell Mountain and Oakville. This diversity gives winemaker Michael Beaulac many different blending options for his stunning Napa Cabernet. The vineyards are sustainably managed in order to squeeze as much character and sense of place out of the grapes as possible.