Maitre de Chai Ellison Sauvignon Blanc 2022

Maître de Chai (May-TRUH de Shay) translates to 'keeper of the cellar', or the person responsible for the development and aging of wine. By extension, the humble cellar master is the person responsible for the management of the winery. Established in 2012, Maître de Chai is the personal project of Marty Winters and Alex Pitts. Together they look to make wines of high quality in a way that best showcases the sense of place where the grapes are grown and the personality of the vineyard. From the ground to the bottle, the character of the wine is the focus. Winters and Pitts source grapes from unique and distinct single vineyards that are impeccably farmed in California.

As the name implies, these wines are cared for in the cellar. Firstly, Maître de Chai defers to nature and limits their intervention. Winters and Pitts taste and then wait, taste and then wait, allowing the wines to develop and speak for the places in which they are rooted.

Planted in 1969, the Ellison Vineyard (formerly the Herron Vineyard) is an acre and a half of Sauvignon Blanc on Sonoma Mountain. This dry-farmed vineyard is one of the oldest Sauvignon Blanc parcels in the United States. These beautiful old vines produce incredible fruit which is harvested by hand. After a long, dry winter in 2022, an early bud break on the south slopes of Sonoma Mountain happened upon the vineyard. Spring was mild followed by a warm summer. On August 27th, the team picked their ninth vintage from these 53-year-old Sauvignon Blanc vines. Whole-cluster pressed & fermented in neutral oak, the wine is everything you'd want from a textural California Sauvignon Blanc. Lime, Guava and crenshaw melon highlight a strong mineral backbone with bright acidity. Drink now, but as always, save a few for the cellar.