Lady of the Sunshine Sauvignon Blanc/Chardonnay 'Chevey' Edna Valley 2023

Where: SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY, California
Grapes: 50% Chardonnay 50% Sauvignon Blanc 
Body: Medium 
Category: White Wine

From the winemaker, Gina Giugui : 

think orchard bloom, lemon grass, & green pineapple

The 2023 vintage of Chevey comes from a new Lady of the Sunshine vineyard site, sourced from the Presqu'ile Vineyard in Santa Maria Valley.  We are contracted to purchase 2 acres of Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc that are farmed with practicing organic farming techniques for Lady of the Sunshine. This vineyard is 16 miles from the pacific coast and planted on sandy, well-draining soils. 

This playful wine is inspired by a traditional blend from the Cheverny region, in the Loire Valley, where it's common to blend the 2 varieties together.  The grapes were picked for natural acidity, foot tread and soaked on skins overnight before being whole bunch pressed, separately, the next day. The juice was fermented with native yeast & bacteria in neutral french oak barrels and aged on lees for 7 months before its first racking to blend before bottling, without filtration or fining, with minimal sufur used.

Fun fact: All of the pieces of artwork for the labels are hand stitched embroideries and her mother's handwriting is even on the corks. 

Gina Giugni is a second generation biodynamic farmer and winemaker. Gina started Lady of the Sunshine in 2017, with a focus on regenerative, organic, and biodynamic farming in pursuit of making natural wines that reflect the purity of the place they come from. Gina also farms, full time, the 6.5 acre Chene Vineyard, located in the Edna Valley appellation. Since her takeover in 2018, the vineyard is now a Demeter certified biodynamic vineyard. Gina and her husband, Mikey, run Scar of the Sea and Lady of the Sunshine together out of their winery in San Luis Obispo, CA.  

biodynamic //  native yeasts // hand harvested // unfined + unfiltered // vegan // low sulfites // woman winemaker

2023  //  750ml // ABV 12.4%