2023 Minus Tide Sterling Ranch Chenin Blanc

$32.00

Tasting Notes: Right off the bat, this fresh and balanced Chenin Blanc shows notes of flint and apple skin aromas. On the palate, the weight and fruit concentration are balanced by elegant natural acidity. Quince and pear, with just the right touch of appealing reduction, make this a complex yet generously satisfying wine. A clean and dry finish with wonderful length adds to the mouthwatering nature of this exciting new wine.

Vineyard: Sterling Ranch - Talmage, Mendocino County AVA
Originally planted in 1980, Sterling Ranch is located in the Talmage benchland on the eastern edge of the Ukiah Valley. With gravelly loam soils, this site is farmed organically and sits on a gradual slope at elevations of 690-770ft.

Winemaking: Native yeast. Whole-cluster pressed. Fermented and aged in neutral French oak puncheons on the lees for 5 months.

Vintage: Following a wet winter, the late budbreak of 2023 led to a long, cool, and dry growing season with good yields and extended hangtime, allowing us to pick precisely when we wanted. Leading to wines of balance and full flavors at lower sugars and restrained alcohol, 2023 is marked as a superior vintage of excellent quality.

Technical Details:
Composition: 100% Chenin Blanc
pH: 3.05
TA: 7.4 g/L
Brix at harvest: 21.5
Alcohol: 13.4%
81 cases produced

Forbes: "Wine of the Month"
"Hailing from Mendocino, Minus Tide’s Sterling Ranch Chenin Blanc delivers a satisfying snap along with savory notes

This young winery in Mendocino has quickly become a favorite of mine. Nearly every of its wine I’ve sampled has been faithful to the variety—nuanced and not exaggerated, which is not always an easy thing to do when the New World meets Old World grapes.

This 100% Chenin from Minus Tide, made from old-vine grapes, offers a tinge of honey on the nose with wild and savory herbs in the undertow. On the palate, there’s present saline—a nod to the coastal location—along with a racy and fresh acidity. Muted yellow fruit, lemon curd and lemon tart all contribute to the fruit spectrum, keeping it on the tart side. Maybe a bit of quince, too. This isn’t a Loire Valley interpretation—not waxy or with a linen-like warmth—but it comes closer to a Chablis in its purity, elegance and electric snap. I enjoyed this with two completely different dishes on consecutive nights: first with a creamy rich Chicken Normandy and the second night, Mujadara with roasted sausage. That this wine was delicious with both speaks to its versatility.

Minus Tide was founded in 2017 by California natives Brad and Miriam Jonas, and Kyle Jeffrey, who met as students at California Polytechnic State University. Collectively, the two winemakers (Brad and Kyle) have worked harvests in Switzerland, Australia, New Zealand and California’s major AVAs. They focus on mostly dry-farmed sustainable and organic vineyards, and use low- minimal-intervention production—and that shows in wines that reflect place more than the hand of the winemaker, though the element of craft is not lost. The winery produces Carignan Rosé, Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Carignan and Syrah. The Sterling Ranch Chenin Blanc retails for around $32."

VinePair: 92 Points "The 16 Best Chenin Blancs for 2024"
"Owners Kyle Jeffrey, Brad Jonas, and Miriam Jonas focus Minus Tide on bringing elegance and balance out of the rustic vineyard landscapes of California's Mendocino AVA. This wine is made from vines planted in 1980, and the age shows in the complex texture of this delicious wine. The nose is rich and flinty, and the palate has a nice grip with a good depth of fruit.

This single-vineyard wine comes from vines planted when 'The Empire Strikes Back' came out (1980). Minus Tide’s mission is to bring elegance to the wines of the rustic coastal vineyard landscapes of Mendocino in Northern California. And wow, have they. The nose is rich and flinty and the palate has a wonderfully complex texture that lingers on the finish."

JancisRobinson.com
17.5 out of 20 Points
"Scents of pear, quince paste and white flowers. Flavours of lemon and grapefruit pith mix with membrillo and fresh, crisp Asian pear. Excellent acidity makes for a crackling, crystalline mouthful with green herbs and salinity. Delicious."

The Press Democrat
"Minus Tide Wines is a love letter to Mendocino County"
"Another standout is Minus Tide’s 2023 Chenin Blanc from Sterling Ranch — a boon for dry, aromatic white wine lovers (like myself) — with loads of pear, Golden Delicious apple, bright quince and mouthwatering acidity."