Madson Wines -- 'Calcaire' Chenin Blanc

It’s easy for wine pros to defer to European wine, and often for good reasons: lower alcohol, higher acidity, more minerality, and light oak usage can make wines incredibly food-friendly, which is what we’re all about at Mineralista. But I don’t want those preferences to keep me from being open to exciting projects stateside. Madson is exactly the kind of winery I was hoping to find – and was still surprised when I did.

Founded by Cole Thomas in Santa Cruz, Madson leases vineyards rather than simply buying fruit, and Cole works the land himself while helping farmers convert their vineyards to organic farming. But they know it doesn’t stop there – they’re looking beyond organic farming to improve the health of their soils and surrounding ecosystems, with a focus on regenerative agriculture and a goal of becoming carbon neutral.

Grapes: Chenin Blanc

Region: Cienega Valley, San Benito, Central Coast, California

Good to Know: Organic, regenerative agriculture, hand harvested, zero synthetics, age 15-30 year old vines, 24 hours on skins, gentle press, ambient yeast ferment & aged 9 months in neutral oak on lees, 2 months stainless, unfined / minimal filtration, ultra low SO2