Leo Steen 'Peaberry' Chenin Blanc, Mendocino, California 2022
Pickup available at DECANT Napa - 2999 Solano, Napa, CA
Usually ready in 1 hour
Leo Hansen—a Danish-born sommelier-turned-winemaker—has championed California Chenin Blanc for over a decade. His Leo Steen wines are thoughtful, site-specific expressions of this underappreciated grape. The 'Peaberry' bottling hails from dry-farmed, old vine Chenin in Mendocino, celebrating the variety’s natural tension, texture, and quiet complexity.
- WINEMAKER: Leo Hansen
- FARMING: Organic (practicing)
- VARIETY: 100% Chenin Blanc
- TERROIR: From old vines planted in Mendocino on well-drained, gravelly loam soils. The site’s coastal influence and temperate growing season help retain acidity and aromatic precision.
- VINIFICATION: Hand-harvested grapes were whole-cluster pressed and fermented with native yeast in a combination of stainless steel and neutral oak barrels. Malolactic fermentation was blocked to preserve freshness.
- AGING: Aged on fine lees for several months in neutral barrels and stainless steel, with occasional stirring to build mid-palate texture.
- TASTING NOTES: Aromas of chamomile, quince, and lemon zest lead into a savory, textured palate. Layers of yellow apple, beeswax, and wet stone unfold with vibrant acidity and a gently saline finish.
- FOOD PAIRINGS: Roast chicken with fennel, Humboldt Fog cheese, grilled peaches, or Dungeness crab with brown butter.
Leo Hansen—a Danish-born sommelier-turned-winemaker—has championed California Chenin Blanc for over a decade. His Leo Steen wines are thoughtful, site-specific expressions of this underappreciated grape. The 'Peaberry' bottling hails from dry-farmed, old vine Chenin in Mendocino, celebrating the variety’s natural tension, texture, and quiet complexity.
- WINEMAKER: Leo Hansen
- FARMING: Organic (practicing)
- VARIETY: 100% Chenin Blanc
- TERROIR: From old vines planted in Mendocino on well-drained, gravelly loam soils. The site’s coastal influence and temperate growing season help retain acidity and aromatic precision.
- VINIFICATION: Hand-harvested grapes were whole-cluster pressed and fermented with native yeast in a combination of stainless steel and neutral oak barrels. Malolactic fermentation was blocked to preserve freshness.
- AGING: Aged on fine lees for several months in neutral barrels and stainless steel, with occasional stirring to build mid-palate texture.
- TASTING NOTES: Aromas of chamomile, quince, and lemon zest lead into a savory, textured palate. Layers of yellow apple, beeswax, and wet stone unfold with vibrant acidity and a gently saline finish.
- FOOD PAIRINGS: Roast chicken with fennel, Humboldt Fog cheese, grilled peaches, or Dungeness crab with brown butter.