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With twenty years under our belts, you know that spark instantly when you find an authentic, genuine partnership. We truly are enjoying our newly found relationship with the Bacigalupi team and family. We are pleased to say we triumphed in putting their family name on our label, and we wanted to share their well-spoken and thorough notes.

This wine would please even the pickiest of Aunts at your holiday dinner table.

Auteur 2021 Chardonnay – By The Bacigalupi Team

Nose: Led by alluring aromas of crisp apple, ripe melon, tangy grapefruit, lemon chiffon, vanilla bean, fresh ginger and roasted almonds, this wine is immediately appealing to the senses.

Palate: On the first few sips, the wine is shy. But once it opens, it fills the palate with a balanced attack of naturally sweet, tart and tangy fruit notes of crisp apple, poached pear, pomelo, ripe mango and fresh picked plantains, which harmonize with hints of chanterelle mushroom, white chocolate bark, creamy nougat, nutmeg and other savory spices that heighten the level of class on the lengthy finish.

Body/Texture: Unlike the cookie-cutter, ready-to-drink white wines made for the masses, this is a sophisticated artisanal style of Chardonnay that slowly reveals its strengths instead of flexing muscles in the beginning. On Day one, the pure fruit flavors and the invigorating qualities of the wine are guided by a burst of bright natural acid that preserves the fresh, youthful, and refreshing elements in each sip. And as the flavors become more complex, the smooth, suede-like texture plays a critical role in highlighting the wine’s more elegant, refined, and powerful traits, as well as its ability to age.

Overview: This sample is a fantastic example of this winemakers style, which highlights the unique flavors of grapes grown at Bacigalupi Vineyards and creates a well-balanced, world-class wine designed to be rich, elegant, complex, and not overbearing. As a testament to its age-ability, it was even more ethereal after five days.

Recommendation: YES

Currently In Member-Only Shop

Harvest is in full swing in Sonoma. As of today, all of our Sonoma Chardonnay and Pinot Noir have started their fermentations at the winery. Our more extreme coastal sites, and still enjoying their last few days of summer ripening. Overall the growing season gave us naturally low yields, which is always our preference. It made for fewer passes in the vineyards, and the fruit got a nice warm bump over the Labor Day weekend, averaging around 23-23 Brix upon early morning arrivals to the winery. We have some exciting experiments in the winery and a few new vineyards in the coveted Sebastopol Hills with the Russian River appellation. As always, we are grateful and look forward to seeing what the fruit teaches us this vintage.

Please join us for our Fall Harvest Member Party. The event will be held at The Attune Estate, located just a few miles outside the town of Sonoma. We look forward to raising our glasses with you!

Auteur Member Harvest Party

Saturday, October 15

Noon – 3p

21060 8th Street East

Sonoma, CA

RSVP to venture@auteurwines.com

Wrapping up the Fall 2021 Harvest. We have so much wine, which is fantastic. We continue to source from Point Conception north to Mendocino zig-zagging throughout Northern California to bring you the best with lots of variety and spice. We are finishing up on cold soak fermentations on the Pinots and starting to press.

Approaching Sebastopol in West Sonoma County, you can feel the change in climate and landscape. The pace slows, the roads wander, the rosters crow, the tension leaves. The smells of coastal evergreens, apple orchards, poppies and wild fennel combine with cooling air from the ocean. Our cool varietals are loving the cool foggy mornings and early evening fog. Bloom arrived in Sonoma on May 10th with a beautiful display of stamen and pistils.

xx,
Laura & Kenneth

As challenging as the year has been – and admittedly, sometimes it was truly
mind-blowing, there’s still lots to be thankful for. We are so grateful for you and
the entire Auteur community.

You made our hearts swell when the spring Members release went out during our
shelter-in-place order, we knew it was going to be a difficult time for everyone, and
you embraced us and full-heartedly and with great enthusiasm. We are forever
grateful to you all for your support of us and for sharing our wines with your
friends and family.

Have a wonderful holiday filled with gratitude, love, loads of wine and lots of cheer
to ring in the new year.

xx,
Laura & Kenneth