Sunbreak is 100% bone-dry old-vine Chenin Blanc from Upland Vineyard in the Snipes Mountain AVA.
Wine Profile
Tasting Notes
Sunbreak shows a brilliant lemon-gold color and aromas of Asian pear-apple, white peach, honeydew melon, grapefruit, pear blossoms, honeysuckle, jasmine and lemon verbena. The flavors are deliciously juicy and vibrant, with notes of pear and grape skins, peach stone and gravelly minerals. The back picks up poire and pêche liqueurs, melon rind and grapefruit peel, followed by a crisp, faintly honeyed finish.
Vineyard Notes
Originally planted by William B. Bridgman in 1917, Upland Vineyard is widely considered the birth place of Washington Wine. Today that original vineyard is still bearing fruit and the vine’s longevity is a testament to the favorable weather conditions bestowed upon the mountain. Our Chenin Blanc was planted on its own roots in 1979 and is considered an "old vine" wine. The block of Chenin Blanc is small, located about 1200 foot elevation on the south side of Snipes Mountain.
Production Notes
Brix (% sugar) at harvest was 23.1%. The grapes were harvested October 18 and loaded into a pneumatic bladder press where the grapes were pressed “whole cluster” (they were not crushed or destemmed prior to pressing). After about two hours of gentle pressing, the Chenin Blanc juice was transferred to settling tanks for two days. We added QA-23 yeast and cool fermented in a stainless steel tank for 13 days. After heat and cold stabilization, Sunbreak was cross-flow filtered and bottled on March 20, 2023.
Food Pairing Notes
Sunbreak complements salads, fish, chicken, mild cheeses and sunbathing on the patio.