Lang & Reed Chenin Blanc 2024
(Mendocino, California)

Our eleventh vintage from the Talmage Bench captures everything we love about Chenin Blanc: bright honeysuckle and citrus blossom aromas, layered with ripe pear, apple, and a touch of minerality. Fresh and lively yet refined, it’s a versatile wine for oysters, grilled fish, or roast chicken. Only 260 cases produced, and always quick to sell out.

When we began our exploration of Chenin Blanc, never could we have imagined that we would be on the wave of a California renaissance of this very noble variety. Almost lost in the dusty cellar of underappreciated wines in California, the demand for and the number of wineries producing Chenin Blanc has exploded in five short years. This 2023 Chenin Blanc is the sixth vintage from vineyards located in Mendocino County in Northern California. The inspiration remains the Loire Valley in France, where Chenin Blanc gained its fame. The source for this bottling comes from a region in Mendocino referred to as the Talmage Bench. The vineyard, located on the east side of the Russian River in an area that has excelled in growing Chenin Blanc for any years, was planted in 1978 on a gentle, north-facing slope with excellent aspect that allows for great drainage and even ripening without too much heat accumulation.

This wine’s vinification is a collaborative effort between Winemakers John Skupny and his son, Reed Skupny. Reed has had his hand in making white wine on three continents - Sauvignon Blanc in New Zealand, Chardonnay in Napa Valley and Chenin Blanc in Chinon, France. For this wine, the grapes were whole-cluster pressed, left to settle for a day, and then transferred into 14 barrels, four of which were stainless steel and ten were French oak. Half was allowed to ferment on the indigenous yeast, and half was inoculated with select organic yeast strains. The lees were stirred, also known as batonnage, bi-weekly until two months before bottling. The final assemblage proved greater than any of the individual barrels.

Description

Engaging aromas of mixed stone fruit, lychee, and honeysuckle are followed by similar flavors on the palate with a lifting texture that includes a touch of varietal  beeswax. The flavors linger with a pleasant mix of fruit and other savory impressions. The firm acidity both assists in supporting the middle richness, as well as providing for a bright, mouthwatering, and refreshing wine.

Varietal Composition 100% Chenin Blanc

Appellation 100% Mendocino – Talmage Bench

Alcohol Content 12.5% by Volume

Total Acidity 6.20 g/100mL

pH 3.22

Residual Sugar 1.5 g/L

Cooperage French Oak & Stainless Steel Barrels – 10 Months

Case Production 260 Cases (12 x 750mL)

Bottling Date August 2, 2025

Label Design Jeanne Greco, Caffe Greco Design, New York

Release Date September 2025