Club Newsletter

From The winemaker – Cool climate delights

At Chamisal, it’s almost like we have two harvests in one season. Most years, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are off the vine by early October, but varieties like Grenache and Syrah, make us wait until Halloween. These Rhône varieties originally evolved in France’s warmer climate now grow at our estate five miles from the coast and offer a distinct set of characteristics.

In 2021, a Labor Day Weekend heat wave helped the Rhône grapes along, and a mild October weather let us pick at exactly the right time. Our new 2021 Grenache has lovely black cherry and dried herb notes, with elegant layers of complexity. Where Paso Robles Grenache is often a bit “in-your-face,” ours is lifted, subtle and nuanced. Try it with duck confit and let us know what you think.

The 2021 Chamisal Syrah is also a labor of love. Our crew wrestles large oak puncheons upright, and takes off the heads (the top, flat end) so we can use them for fermenting – about 400-500 pounds of fruit in each. I love the way the oak tannins from the puncheon complement the ones in our Syrah. The finished wine shows wonderful black and blue fruit, kalamata olive, and wild game notes. Personally, this is what I reach for when I want to impress wine friends. It’s fantastic with lamb.

Last but not least, we have our Soberanes Vineyard Pinot Noir from the Santa Lucia Highlands. The block we source from is planted with the Pisoni clone of Pinot Noir, which delivers great intensity and flavor. As fruit-forward as it is serious, this wine has great mid-palate weight and pretty floral notes. It will make friends wherever it goes.

Please enjoy!

-Brianne

Pushing the boundaries of Sustainability

Sustainability has long been a core value at Chamisal Vineyards. While not (yet) certified organic, the vineyard has been farmed with organic methods since 2015, and was one of the first to obtain Sustainable In Practice (SIP) certification back in 2010.  SIP is a third-party-verified certification that reaches beyond organic and biodynamic standards to consider water and energy efficiency, air quality, social responsibility, community impacts, fruit quality, and more. In 2016, Chamisal’s winery facility became the second winery ever to achieve SIP certification.

To promote biodiversity and maintain a healthy ecosystem, Chamisal planted several fallow vineyard blocks as a Miyawaki Forest. These 40-50 different types of native trees and shrubs provide essential habitat for pest predators and other wildlife. Three acres of the estate are also dedicated to a community garden, created in partnership with local nonprofit Gleanslo. Volunteers use this land to grow row crops of food staples to support the local food bank.

But the winery does not rest on its laurels – new sustainability efforts are always underway. Winemaker Brianne Engles is exploring different types of trellising for newly planted blocks, which might facilitate the use of grazing livestock and electric farm equipment to tend the vines. She is also piloting no-till farming techniques in part of the vineyard, using semi-permanent cover crops (three varieties of fescue, a perennial grass) between the vine rows to help keep soil, nutrients, and carbon in place year-round. Every day we aim to learn and improve: a concept at the heart of sustainable business.

As the days stretch longer and we bask in the sun-kissed warmth of the SLO Coast, we welcome you to join us in embracing the spirit of summer with our May club releases. We are overjoyed to raise a toast in celebration to our remarkable 50-year journey and can’t wait to share this momentous occasion with you. Our diligent team has been hard at work enhancing your club member experience. We have expanded our Estate Patio to now provide five cozy seating options exclusively for our club members. You can reserve this space in advance or access it on a first-come, first-serve basis when you visit our tasting room.

Immerse yourself in any of our three flight experiences in this inviting space, with tastings offered complimentary based on your club tier. Select from our Signature Reserve Flight ($65/person, club discounting applies) or our 50th Anniversary Flight ($100 for 2 tastings and grazing box, club discounting applies). To learn more about our experiences, please visit our website for real-time reservation availability.

This year, we proudly commemorate our 50th anniversary, reflecting on a remarkable journey filled with passion, dedication, and exceptional experiences. Join us as we celebrate this significant milestone and mark your calendar for our events.