The Limit

Radian Vineyard, Sta. Rita Hills

Block 31, Dijon Clone 76

For a couple years I made a Chardonnay for the Terroir Extraordinaire portfolio called The Mentor. It was from a spectacular one acre block at the Rita's Crown Vineyard that sits right on top of the hillside that produces our Slice Of Heaven Pinot Noir. From the stand point of winemaking real estate, it doesn't get much better than that. But after laying eyes on block 31 at the Radian Vineyard I decided to let the Mentor go. Block 31 sits right next to our Appellation's Edge block of Pinot Noir, so the real estate here is no slouch. The first time I saw it and realized it was Chardonnay, I thought that if we could get its fruit thoroughly ripe, the vineyard might produce something mindboggling. The only downside, the block sits so far to the west, it's really pushing the limits in terms of ripening Chardonnay. Now, as I taste the first wines that I have made from this site, I'm glad I rolled the dice. The resulting cuvees thus far had tremendous fruit weight, and a distinctive varietal character, the likes of which I have never experienced in Chardonnay. In The Limit we have found a truly extraordinary terroir.

Cheers,