Winemaker Notes
Shell Creek Vineyard is 20 miles from the town of Paso Robles. It has sandy topsoil with calcareous fossilized seashells underneath. Planted in 1972, the Stinton Family has owned the property since the late 1800s. It is farmed using low intervention without the use of pesticides and chemicals in the vineyard.
Professional Ratings
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: What is the history of dry Chenin Blanc? While we would need to return to the Loire Valley and unearth a few Savennières to understand this grape variety to the fullest. Sadly the best of these wines are difficult to obtain, and one would have to spend some quality time in the Loire. Fortunately, the 2017 Broc Cellars Chenin Blanc speaks to us. TASTING NOTES: This wine is brisk and earth-driven. Its aromas and flavors of dried earth, chalk, herbs, and tart citrus should make a beautiful pairing partner with pan-seared sea scallops. (Tasted: September 25, 2018, San Francisco, CA)
Unquestionably one of the most diverse grape varieties, Chenin Blanc can do it all. It shines in every style from bone dry to unctuously sweet, oaked or unoaked, still or sparkling and even as the base for fortified wines and spirits. Perhaps Chenin Blanc’s greatest asset is its ever-present acidity, maintained even under warm growing conditions. Somm Secret—Landing in South Africa in the mid 1800s, today the country has double the acreage of Chenin Blanc planted compared to France. There is also a new wave of dedicated producers committed to restoring old Chenin vines.
Paso Robles has made a name for itself as a source of supple, powerful, fruit-driven Central Coast wines. But with eleven smaller sub-AVAs, there is actually quite a bit of diversity to be found in this inland portion of California’s Central Coast.
Just east over the Santa Lucia Mountains from the chilly Pacific Ocean, lie the coolest in the region: Adelaida, Templeton Gap and (Paso Robles) Willow Creek Districts, as well as York Mountain AVA and Santa Margarita Ranch. These all experience more ocean fog, wind and precipitation compared to the rest of the Paso sub-appellations. The San Miguel, (Paso Robles) Estrella, (Paso Robles) Geneso, (Paso Robles) Highlands, El Pomar and Creston Districts, along with San Juan Creek, are the hotter, more western appellations of the greater Paso Robles AVA.
This is mostly red wine country, with Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel standing out as the star performers. Other popular varieties include Merlot, Petite Sirah, Petit Verdot, Syrah, Grenache and Rhône blends, both red and white. There is a fairly uniform tendency here towards wines that are unapologetically bold and opulently fruit-driven, albeit with a surprising amount of acidity thanks to the region’s chilly nighttime temperatures.