Stolpman Ballard Canyon Sauvignon Blanc 2019

In the 1980s, Pete’s father Tom searched Santa Barbara for potential vineyard sites. They placed an offer in 1988, and finally, in 1990, took possession of a piece of land in Santa Ynez Valley’s Ballard Canyon. They started planting with the intention of being growers, and not winemakers: They would focus on quality—limiting yields, irrigating minimally—and supply the area winemakers who were willing and able to pay for top-flight grapes.

Almost immediately, Stolpman fruit was claimed by two of the titans of California’s Central Coast: Sine Qua Non, and Ojai Vineyard. Steve Beckmen of Beckmen Vineyards was also an early purchaser of Stolpman’s Ballard Canyon grapes, and was so impressed that he ended up purchasing an adjacent property.

Situated on the limestone hills of Ballard Canyon in Santa Ynez Valley lies the organic estate of the Stolpman Family. The limestone is an utter rarity in California and it is one of the secrets to their aromatically complex, dynamically vibrant wines. But the secret to activating that limestone does not lie with the organic farming or the hand-harvesting. The secret to the Stolpman wine’s freshness and perfect balance is the fact that they do not irrigate. Sure, it stresses the hell out of the vines but it forces the roots to go really deep, to tap the groundwater that is seriously affected by the limestone. The resulting grapes are tiny, packed with flavor and brimming with the stony minerality that only the limestone can bring.

The Sauvignon Blanc is aromatic and fine, loaded with flavors of limes and passion fruit, wrapped tightly by a fresh acidity and stony finish. Pair with just about anything, great choice for a house white wine.