A mixed case offer, and on tasting tomorrow
'Santa Barbara produced the finest wines in California in 2020 by a wide margin' - Antonio Galloni
'There can't be many places in the world better for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay than this,' says Gavin Chanin. He has been proving it year after year since 2007, when he launched his eponymous label. While other American winemakers were going to Napa or Sonoma, he planted his flag in Santa Barbara. 'The fog, the winds, the marine soils, and the long growing season all make it pretty unique here. Burgundy varieties excel'.
Everything Chanin does is about terroir; they only release single-vineyard wines. With old vines in some amazing sites, these are among the best vineyards the county has to offer. The Sanford & Benedict vineyard was planted in 1971, and is home to the county's oldest Pinot Noir. Los Alamos vineyard sits at a high point between the cool Santa Maria Valley and the warm Santa Ynez Valley, and benefits from the constant contrast in temperatures. Zotovich vineyard only dates to the 1990s, but the quality of the fruit it is producing means it is fast becoming regarded as a premier site.
Much of California was beset by wildfires in the run-up to the 2020 harvest; some harvests had to be discarded due to smoke taint in the grapes. But in Santa Barbara, wildfires were just a distant smudge on the horizon. The region enjoyed very favourable conditions throughout the year, especially in the critical weeks around harvest; Gavin's biggest worry was assembling harvest crews in a time of Covid. His 2020 Chardonnays are classy and nuanced, his 2020 Pinot Noirs are layered and beguiling.
To help you get to grips with the Chanin range, we have put together a mixed case with money off and free delivery. Not only that, we will have these wines on tasting this Thursday in our Copthall Avenue store. /NT
Offered subject to remaining unsold
