Chamisal Estate Winery
Chamisal Estate is located near San Luis Obispo, north of Santa Barbara, California, half -way between San Francisco and Los Angeles. Edna Valley is where the heart of their vineyards lay, only a few miles inland from the Pacific Ocean. The Chamise plant, a wild white flower that grows with abandon on the property is how the winery name was created. Spanish missionaries planted grapes in this region over 200 years ago, and a resurgence in wine making and grape growing saw replanting around the Central Coast in the 1970’s. Chamisal was the first winery to plant grapes in 1973 in Edna Valley. Famous for its Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes, Edna Valley has its own micro climate due to the east west wind flow, shadows of volcanic mountains, clay rich soils, and cool morning fog off the ocean. This is an ideal climate for these two grape varietals that originated in Burgundy.
Chamisal winemaker, Fintan Du Fresne, hails from New Zealand. He has been head winemaker since 2006. On any given day you will find him out on a tractor in the vineyards. He spends nearly half his time in the cellar, and the other half working with vineyard managers among the vines. The winery is SIP certified (Sustainable in Practice) and 100% sustainable. All vineyard work is done by hand, with an emphasis on the plants and terroir. The 85 acres of estate grown fruit at Chamisal are all carefully handcrafted, and Fintan believes this allows each varietal to shine.
The volcanic clay soils stay cooler, and when enriched by limestone soil, called Marl, can make for robust, expressive wines. Two of the wines from Chamisal we feature here at Ed’s are “stainless”. When you see the word stainless on a label, it means the wine has not been aged in any kind of oak barrel, container or cement vat. Simply, put, it is aged in stainless steel tanks. Chamisal Estate Stainless Chardonnay is a wonderful expression of the fruit grown in Edna Valley; 100% Chardonnay with tropical notes, kiwi and papaya, highlighted by flavors of lemon drop and apple blossom. There is crisp acidity with a lingering key lime finish. I give it two bones!
Chamisal Estate Stainless Pinot Noir is another beautiful expression of the terroir from this lush region. Sourced from fruit in Edna Valley, Santa Rita Hills and San Luis Obispo, this 100% Pinot was hand sorted and shows candy apple red fruit aromatics. There are notes of briar and forest floor on the nose, with the mid palate offering hints of blackberry fruit and cotton candy. All without oak! I give it two bones!!
I look forward to seeing you- remember to bring me a cookie, or just give me a little scratch under my chin!
