The Chanin style
Old vines, low yields, a gentle hand
Between LA and San Francisco, Santa Barbara County may not yet be as well known in wine terms as Napa or Sonoma, but it is an area very fast on the rise. It is already home to some extremely distinguished vineyards and wineries. As Antonio Galloni put it just last week, it is 'one of the most exciting and dynamic regions anywhere in the world.' It's a diverse place, too; the eastern inland reaches are hotter and are most known for Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, while the west excels at cool climate, ocean-influenced Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Only a few miles from the coast, Chanin belongs firmly in the western part of the county, and focuses on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay; as winemaker Gavin Chanin argues, these two varieties are especially revealing of subtle differences in geography, geology and climate.
Gavin's approach is all about terroir; everything Chanin releases is a single vineyard bottling. Not only that, with old vines in some amazing sites, these are among the best vineyards the county has to offer. Two of the very best are Bien Nacido and Sanford & Benedict, both planted in the 1970s. Old vines, low yields, careful farming and gentle winemaking all make for a style that is balanced rather than overbearing. It's no surprise that it was through the IPOB (In Pursuit of Balance) movement that Chanin came to wider attention.
Gavin is a busy man. He learnt his trade at classic Santa Barbara wineries Qupe and Au Bon Climat, rising to the position of assistant winemaker at each, while at the same time studying art; the Chanin labels are his own paintings. He is also the winemaker at Bill Price's Lutum label. Bill owns and farms some great sites in Santa Barbara and beyond, and the Chanin style shines through in the Lutum wines.
It's a style that chimes perfectly with the 2015 vintage. A warm start led to an early bud break, but a cooler growing season drew things out, giving grapes time to ripen slowly and develop complexity and depth. They have power, but exude elegance. As Gavin says: 'Overall if I had one word to describe the 2015 wines I would call them transparent - I've had the pleasure of working these vineyards for 13 years and I have never worked a harvest that shows off the unique terroirs of each vineyard quite as clearly as 2015. I believe they are some of the best wines I have ever made.' /NT
Offered subject to remaining unsold; available spring 2018
