Winemaker Notes
On the nose, this wine bursts with spicy citrus and salty zest. There is a seductive orange blossom and jasmine aspect paired with what I dub as Hawaiian breakfast fruits. You can definitely smell the sea influence on this wine as there are briny notes that speak to the nearby Pacific Ocean. White flower notes are ever so present, but an exotic mix of citrus and tropical fruit reigns.
On the palate, this wine is full of tang and energy. Our Albariño never lacks acidity. In fact, managing that high acidity presents one of our biggest challenges, yet that is our greatest gift. There is a rich assembly of citrus, white fruits, stone fruit, and tropicals that are all corralled with bright acidity from start to finish. A lingering freshness and minerality cements Albariño as the one varietal that is queen of the sea.
Critical Acclaim
All Vintages
John Niven has been rooted in Edna Valley’s wine industry for over 20 years, but his story started many decades earlier. His grandfather Jack Niven trailblazed the planting of San Luis Obispo’s modern day vines in the early 1970’s and is considered the pioneer of the Edna Valley. He just happened to plant his historic Paragon Vineyard just after John was born. Little did he know that these plantings and his vision would determine the fate of the region. Decades later, this fate led John and his wife down the path to start their our own winery focusing on vibrant energetic white wines from the Edna Valley.
The Edna Valley is truly a gem on a AVA for white wine varietals and deservedly should be included in the broader conversation as one of the great white wine regions of the world. It lies just 5.5 miles from the edge of Pacific Ocean. It’s maritime influenced extreme cool climate and diverse volcanic and oceanic soils allows the incredible opportunity showcase white wines filled with vibrant energy, minerality, and a whole lot of individual character.
A Cadre is a small group that has been specifically chosen to band together and promote a greater cause. In this case, this is a Cadre of cool climate small production Albariño, Grüner Veltliner, and Sauvignon Blanc that is out to show the wine world the greatness of the lively, high acid, energetic and mineral driven cool climate white wines from the Edna Valley. This Cadre is not just made up of these wines, it includes John and his tireless passion for the region. No one believes in white wines from the region more than John. Our San Luis Obispo Coast has just begun to scratch the surface on exploring the endless potential of the world of white wines. There is so much to learn, and we are just getting started.
California’s coolest wine growing area, Edna Valley excels in the production of high quality Central Coast wines like Pinot noir, Chardonnay, Rhône Blends and aromatic white wines. It has a cool Mediterranean climate and an incredibly long growing season, giving late-ripening varieties plenty of opportunity to develop great phenolic complexity.
Its northwest to southeast orientation creates a direct path for cool Pacific air and fog to penetrate the valley from the Los Osos and Morro Bay area inwards. Low hillsides of both calcareous and volcanic soils are home to much of the vineyard acreage of the Edna Valley.
Bright and aromatic with distinctive floral and fruity characteristics, Albariño has enjoyed a surge in popularity and an increase in plantings over the last couple of decades. Thick skins allow it to withstand the humid conditions of its homeland, Rías Baixas, Spain, free of malady, and produce a weighty but fresh white. Somm Secret—Albariño claims dual citizenship in Spain and Portugal. Under the name Alvarinho, it thrives in Portugal’s northwestern Vinho Verde region, which predictably, borders part of Spain’s Rías Baixas.