2024 Clay Shannon 'El Coyote' Chardonnay

Aromas of pear, honeydew, lemon zest, and nutmeg open to a palate of Meyer lemon, Fuji apple, and warm baking spices with a touch of vanilla. The texture is bright and creamy at once, with a clean acidity that keeps the wine fresh and focused through a lingering finish.

The 2024 growing season brought an early spring with below-average rainfall followed by intense summer heat, producing fruit with concentrated flavors and well-defined aromatic profiles. The grapes are blended from select Lake County parcels, vinified to balance the natural richness of the site with enough freshness to keep the wine food-friendly and lively.

The fruit is sourced from the Red Hills of Lake County, a high-elevation AVA on the slopes of Mount Konocti in Northern California. The soils here are volcanic and rich in obsidian, a composition that concentrates flavor in the fruit while naturally limiting vine vigor. At over 1,800 feet above sea level, the site benefits from warm days and dramatically cool nights, giving the wine its characteristic combination of ripe, tropical-leaning fruit and bright, refreshing acidity.