Pali Wine Co, Sta. Rita Hills (Santa Barbara County, California) Chenin Blanc 2024 ($50)

I’m not sure whether the structure of this wine is intentional or whether it was a matter of working with what nature gives you, but this Chenin Blanc is overly edgy and sharp in a way that would be challenging even to the most ardent fans of Marlborough wines. Beyond the acidity, the wine has tart green fruits, lots of savory notes (almost like whole bunch fermentation results, although that isn’t indicated), some minerality, and even some slight amounts of tannins. It is touted as being the only Chenin Blanc produced in the appellation, so there are no other iterations for comparison, but this doesn’t seem to come up to Pali standards.
88 Roger Morris