Why We do what we do.
Knowledge is power and when you know which practices are behind the wines you most like, suddenly you’re armed with a new wine “super power” giving you a much broader (and I think) easier way to “filter” and find new producers and wines you’re most likely going to love.
Over the years of experimenting and holding close the things that worked best, the below are a handful of the practices and calls made in the cellar, that to me, proved to be some of the key building blocks for making wines we were truly proud of and excited to drink and share.
Our Winemaking Practices
Our Winemaking Practices
When I think of younger vines, particularly Chardonnay, I picture them like wonderfully optimistic young adults year forging their way in the world; full of hope and sass. In honor of that sense of youthful self discovery younger vines are left to their own devices and aged uninfluenced in 100% neutral oak. While on the other side of the coin, the Older Vine Chardonnays take on new French barrel with absolute grace and elegance makingfor a legit enhancement to the resulting wine rather than “hindering” or cramping the style of a Younger Vine.
READ MORE HERE about Vine Age and how is effects more than just the profile of the fruit
What I mean here is the all important but, harder to often DO practice of “listening” to the wine rather than imposing or expecting it to behave the way it had in a previous vintage or how your minds eye had hoped. You LISTEN, really listen, and then you make the best possible wine. READ HERE for more on this topic.
Our lower alcohol content and natural acidity are due to the very cool climates of the Sta. Rita Hills and the Santa Maria Valley where the Chardonnay (and Pinot Noir!) we work with comes from. This also means picking on the earlier side and soon after phenologically ripe to attain a lower potential alcohol and keep acidity high and pH low which equates to more balanced, table-friendly wines.
The wine is generally left to its own devices after it is handpicked and gently pressed post-harvest. Native yeast fermentation is also carried out for all new barrels.
No machines or other processes are used to alter the natural color, flavor or alcohol level. This is another set of protocols surprisingly more commonly used than one would think. You can spin out alcohol, add Mega-Purple or oak chips and there are even flavor additives that can legally be used. Wine labels sadly warrant ingredient lists.
In the past three vintages that we can speak of, the Chardonnays have gone through the gamut of 10-100% malolactic fermentation. We don’t force the wine through (to rev up body and creaminess) and we don’t restrain either (for forced leanness or to balance overripe fruit). It’s au naturale.
We predominantly use neutral oak (used minimum of 4-5 times and as a result don’t impart ANY aromas/flavors), as we prefer Chardonnay profiles made allowing small amounts of oxygen. Stainless tanks don’t allow oxygen at all, while heavy new/charred oak tends to mask the fruit.
The wave of the future, this cork provides the best of a natural cork (because it is!) – It’s biodegradable and breathable, but without the risk of cork taint (musty overtones) EVER! Yes, never! You also miss out on bottle variation that occurs with uneven oxygen transfer into the wine over time. So, you can expect a cork-taint, consistent bottle of stars & dust every time. READ MORE about DIAM corks here. (Link to blog or off the site to a study/resource.
In an effort to lower our carbon footprint (and because it looks sexier), we use no traditional PVC capsules. Instead we leave every bottle naked/topless as one less thing to worry about when opening a bottle of s&d and environmentally as one less unneeded input in the entire process of getting these grapes to your glass.
