2023 Scar of the Sea "Vinos de los Ranchos" Chardonnay, SLO Coast, California, USA

ABOUT THE WINE

The Vinos de los Ranchos Chardonnay is sourced from select organically farmed vineyard sites along California’s SLO Coast AVA, where the proximity to the Pacific Ocean brings fog, wind, and a long growing season that preserves freshness and structure. In 2023, the fruit was hand-harvested and whole-cluster pressed, then fermented with native yeasts in neutral French oak barrels, where it remained on the lees without stirring for several months. Malolactic fermentation was allowed to proceed naturally, resulting in a wine that balances coastal energy with subtle roundness. Unfined, unfiltered, and bottled with minimal sulfur, it reveals notes of citrus zest, wet stone, and saline minerality—perfect alongside oysters, roast chicken, or Dungeness crab with brown butter.

ABOUT THE PRODUCER

Scar of the Sea, the collaborative project of Mikey and Gina Giugni, focuses on honest, site-expressive wines rooted in California’s coastal terroirs. Inspired by surfing, sailing, and a deep reverence for the ocean’s influence on vine and wine, Scar of the Sea works with growers who farm organically or regeneratively and emphasizes minimal-intervention winemaking: native fermentations, neutral oak, low sulfur, and no fining or filtering. The Vinos de los Ranchos label represents their ongoing exploration of the SLO Coast’s diverse vineyard sources—highlighting freshness, salinity, and the understated beauty of California Chardonnay grown at the edge of the Pacific.