Winemaker Notes
The Ghostwriter is about Santa Cruz and its many terroirs, old heritage vineyards, and the light, acid driven, pretty, perfumey style of wine that it is capable of. "Ghostwriter" represents the idea that a wine may be the pages that contain a story, but that the story itself belongs to the sites, the vines, and the vintage. The winemaker, when successful, may be a lively storyteller, but only that.
Professional Ratings
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Wine & Spirits
This appellation bottling is sourced from Trail Marker’s main Santa Cruz Mountain sources, Quink and Chapel. It’s lean and acid driven, with a lemony scent and a freshness and energy that’s impressive. It starts out simply quaffable, but after a day the wine’s layering and quiet complexity informs the texture, becoming brighter and more focused. It’s a lot of wine for the price.
One of the most popular and versatile white wine grapes, Chardonnay offers a wide range of flavors and styles depending on where it is grown and how it is made. While it tends to flourish in most environments, Chardonnay from its Burgundian homeland produces some of the most remarkable and longest lived examples. California produces both oaky, buttery styles and leaner, European-inspired wines. Somm Secret—The Burgundian subregion of Chablis, while typically using older oak barrels, produces a bright style similar to the unoaked style. Anyone who doesn't like oaky Chardonnay would likely enjoy Chablis.
A rugged and topographically diverse cool-climate appellation with a rich history, the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA stretches from Half Moon Bay, just south of San Francisco, to the northern border of Monterey County. Elevations range from 800 feet to upwards of 3,000 and microclimates vary substantially depending on which side of the mountains the vineyards lie; cool ocean winds and fog play an important role here. This can be a challenging region in which to grow grapes, but it is well worth the effort. Santa Cruz Mountains wines are noted for balanced acidity levels, often showing great aging potential. Wine has been made here since the 1800s, most notably from the legendary Ridge Vineyards, whose Monte Bello vineyard garners international admiration.
Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon are the stars of this region, while Merlot and Zinfandel also perform quite well. Organic and sustainable vineyard practices are becoming increasingly common.