Sandlands is the personal project of Tegan Passalacqua, the winemaker for Turley Wine Cellars. As he explains, “the [Sandlands] line-up encompasses the forgotten classic California varieties, primarily grown in decomposed granite (sand), from regions and vineyards that have been farmed for many generations but have remained the outliers of California viticulture.” It seems surprising in our chardonnay-besotted times that chenin blanc was the most widely-planted white grape in California up until the mid-1990s. The Sandlands chenin blanc comes from two high-altitude vineyards (460-580 feet) near the town of Plymouth in the Shenandoah Valley of Amador County. It fermented and aged in used barrels. This is classic chenin with a brisk, almost alpine feel: citrus, salt, and stones, with texture and plenty of snap. It is especially tasty with Dungeness crab or anything spicy.
