Maître de Chai 'Kierkegaard - Vineyard' 2024 Chenin Blanc Clarksburg

750ml bottle

11% abv

Near colorless with a hint of pale gold. Vaguely yeasty on the nose with white flowers. On the palate, floral flavors, pastry cream, pear, and sarsaparilla with bright notes of makrut lime. Excellent acidity, intense and distinctive.

100% Chenin Blanc. Wilson Vineyard, Woods Ranch, just south of Clarksburg in the Sacramento River Delta. Vines planted 1998 on sandy soils. Converted to organic farming over the past several years by the Wilson family. The hallmark of the site is electric acidity and mineral precision. The Clarksburg AVA benefits from strong afternoon delta breezes pulling off the Sacramento River, moderating the heat of the Central Valley and preserving freshness and acidity in the fruit.

Native yeast fermentation. No new oak. No additives. Minimal sulfur. All winemaking and élevage at the Maitre de Chai facility in Berkeley. The Kierkegaard is designed to capture site specificity without oak interference.

The Kierkegaard Chenin Blanc is Maitre de Chai's most Loire-referencing wine. The Wilson Vineyard's sandy delta soils and cooling river influence produce a profile more taut and mineral than warm-climate California Chenin typically delivers.

Maitre de Chai was founded in 2012 by Marty Winters and Alex Pitts, both of whom came from fine dining kitchens before transitioning to wine, Winters as a sommelier at The Restaurant at Meadowood and The Grand Del Mar, Pitts through winemaking. The project is based in Berkeley and sources from single vineyard sites across California. The winemaking philosophy across the range is consistent: native yeasts, no new oak, no additives, minimal sulfur, site expression over winemaker intervention.