Las Jaras Cezanne Chenin Blanc 2023

Las Jaras Cezanne Chenin Blanc 2023

Las Jaras
$30.00

Grape: Chenin Blanc
Vintage: 2023
Type: White

Grown on old vines planted in the gravelly loam soils of Mendocino County, this cuvée captures the natural tension and high-acid drive of northern California chenin blanc. The fruit is whole-cluster pressed and fermented naturally with indigenous yeasts in a combination of neutral French oak barrels and stainless steel to build subtle textural weight while maintaining raw freshness. The wine undergoes no malolactic fermentation, preserving the linear focus and electric backbone straight from the vineyard. This is a crisp, direct expression of old-vine chenin blanc crafted with minimal intervention.

It shows a pale straw color with green highlights, offering aromas of crisp green apple, white peach, lemon blossom, and crushed river stone. The palate opens with direct flavors of wet stone, tart pear, and grapefruit zest, balanced by a subtle, creamy leesy texture that softens the razor-sharp natural acidity. The mid-palate remains vibrant, light, and full of chalky mineral grip. It ends on a snappy, mouthwatering finish that leaves a persistent note of lime peel and sea salt.

Sandland is Tegan Passalacqua's project devoted to California's old, often overlooked vineyard heritage. As vineyard manager for Turley, Passalacqua has deep experience with ancient vines, and Sandlands channels that knowledge into parcels planted to varieties such as Chenin Blanc, Carignane, Mataro, Trousseau, Zinfandel and Mission. Many sites are own-rooted, dry-farmed and planted on sandy granitic or decomposed soils that helped them survive phylloxera. The wines are made simply, with restrained alcohol and little new oak, showing a quieter California built from old vines, immigrant varieties and historical continuity rather than modern fashion.