Wines and Events in Monterey

The latest vintage Russell Joyce Collection Rodnick Farms Chenin Blanc from the chalky hillsides of Monterey’s Chalone AVA is a beautifully chiseled bone dry version of this Loire Valley grape with mineral toned austere peach, apple and tart citrus fruits, along with wet stone, bitter almond, leafy herbs, delicate white flowers, leesy bread dough, and faint hint of honey. All organic grapes, whole cluster stomped and a natural spontaneous native yeast fermentation led the way here with a cold soak and 24 hour hour settlement before going to barrel. This version, inspired by the drier and racier Saumur, Loire Valley, examples, relies on the limestone soils of Chalone for its terroir character, similar to the old world examples and where Chenin Blanc has been since 1919, and maybe being Monterey’s first plantings of noble varietals post the Mission grapes arrival in the late 1700s. The 1970s saw a huge expansion of Chenin Blanc in California, making it one of the most widely planted white varietals in the state, before the turn to Chardonnay in the 1980s and 1990s. Now Chenin is rising again in the new world, but without grand expectations and extensive plantings, it is gaining support from elite small batch producers, and we love to see it coming back! The Joyce version also saw only neutral French wood and almost no batonage, to keep freshness and transparency, while still having some vinous generosity. While mainly a wine club offering, we have some of this 2024 Chenin available in the tasting room and online at joycewineco.com.

Chenin Blanc, the famous grape of Vouvray, Saumur and Montlouis, also known also as Pineau de la Loire among other names, is a white wine grape variety from the Loire Valley of France where it makes some of France’s most sought after wines like those of Domaine Huet, Chidaine, Joly, Clos Rougeard, Lambert and Guiberteau. Chenin has been in California for a longtime and it was once as popular as Chardonnay if not more so prior to the early 1980s. Recently this grape has made a comeback and is highly regarded by sommeliers and wine geeks with many outstanding examples being made throughout California, below I am highlighting a few that really standout. Its high acidity means it can be used to make everything from sparkling wines to well-balanced dessert wines, although it can produce very bland, neutral wines if the vine’s natural vigor is not controlled. This renewed interest and the rise of Chenin in California looks set to be a thrilling movement, that looks unstoppable as people look to exciting alternative offerings, one just has to look at the success of Albarino, confirms the interest in grapes other than Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. California Chenin Blanc examples are led by a who’s who of stars, like Ted Lemon of Littorai, Pax Mahle, Chris Brockway of Broc Cellars, Justin Willett of Lieu-Dit, Leo Hansen of Leo Steen, Andrew Jones of Field Recordings, Ian Brand, Combe by Raj Parr and Stolpman Vineyards, Tegan Passalacqua of Sandlands, our own Russell Joyce of Joyce Wine Company and Jaimee Motley as well as the classics still made by Casa Nuestra, Chalone and Chappellet.

Visit www.joycewineco.com