The origin is Sonoma County in Northern California, a large and diverse wine region where Chardonnay is one of the most important grape varieties.

• Location / Origin: Sonoma County consists of 19 distinct AVAs and stretches from the Pacific coast to warmer valleys further inland. The exact plots for this Chardonnay are not specified.
• Climate & Influences: The Pacific Ocean brings cool air and fog into the area. Warm days are combined with significantly cooler nights, which allows for a longer ripening period and helps to retain natural acidity.
• 2024 Vintage: Plenty of winter rain and a cool, steady spring ensured healthy vines. After a brief heatwave in July, moderate summer temperatures and a relatively cool September followed, allowing the Chardonnay to ripen gradually with a beautiful combination of freshness, concentration, and phenolic ripeness.

Banshee combines stainless steel with French oak to allow room for both the fruit and the broad, creamy Chardonnay structure.

• Harvest & Selection: The grapes are gently pressed using a pneumatic press on a delicate Champagne cycle. This extracts the juice from the grapes with minimal harsh extraction.
• Fermentation: After settling, a portion of the juice is fermented in French oak barrels, while the rest remains in stainless steel. The entire wine then undergoes malolactic conversion, which rounds off the acids and contributes to the creamy, buttery texture.
• Maturation / Oak aging: The wine ages for 8 months in a combination of French oak and stainless steel, with 30% of the oak used being new. The wood builds notes of brioche, vanilla, and toasted aromas, while the stainless steel preserves sufficient fresh fruit.
• Alcohol percentage: At 14.2% alcohol, the wine has a generous, mouth-filling structure that aligns well with the ripe fruit and creamy oak aging.

The cuvée is entirely built around Chardonnay and showcases the grape in a rich Californian style.

• 100% Chardonnay – Sonoma County: Chardonnay has sufficient structure to support both full malolactic conversion and aging in French oak. At the same time, the natural acidity of the 2024 vintage provides the necessary tension against the ripe fruit and creamy texture.