Maître de Chai 'Kierkegaard' Chenin Blanc, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma, California 2024

The inspiration behind this wine traces back to the winemakers' friend and mentor, Leo Hansen of Leo Steen Wines, who sparked their passion for sourcing and producing Chenin Blanc. In a nod to Leo, they chose the name 'Kierkegaard,' after the famed Danish philosopher, poet, and social critic Søren Aabye Kierkegaard, often regarded as the father of existentialism. His thought-provoking work and questioning spirit resonate deeply with the philosophy behind this wine.

“A man who as a physical being is always turned toward the outside, thinking that his happiness lies outside him, finally turns inward and discovers that the source is within him.” – ‘The Predicament of a Man’ by Søren Kierkegaard

• Winemaker: Alex Pitts & Marty Winters
• Farming: Organic
• Variety: Chenin Blanc
• Terroir: The grapes for the 'Kierkegaard' Chenin Blanc are sourced from the Wilson Vineyard, just south of Clarksburg in the Sacramento River Delta. The Wilson Vineyard was planted in 1998 and is farmed by the fourth generation of the Wilson family. Over the last several years, the family has converted this parcel of Chenin Blanc at the Woods Ranch to entirely organic farming. 
• Vinification: Fermented with its native yeasts in stainless steel and aged in neutral oak for eleven months, bottled without any fining or filtration. Seven barrels produced.
• Tasting Note: Bartlett Pear, crushed oyster shell, and chive blossom on the nose. A crisp, high acid wine but not in the slightest bit lean. Definitely, a wine meant to be enjoyed now, but it will be interesting to see the way the acidity in this wine develops over the years.