Heringer Estates Vineyards is located in Clarksburg, CA, just south of Sacramento. The Heringer family grows a wide variety of grapes on their vast property, but it was specifically Chenin Blanc that I was interested in. Having tried many Californian versions of Chenin Blanc, I was truly inspired by wines made from the Clarksburg appellation. *Shoutouts available upon request*

Though Heringer Estate Vineyards is just 20 minutes outside of the notoriously hot Sacramento, the vineyards are sandwiched by the Sacramento River and a sizable off-shoot of the river as well. These flowing bodies of water bring a cooling influence to the vineyard throughout nights and mornings that help compensate for warm days. Heringer Estate Vineyards is a certified sustainable property.

After loving how the Chenin Blanc from Heringer Estates was progressing, I decided to continue looking for white varieties in Clarksburg. Following months of searching I found Falanghina and Cortese. Falanghina, being from southern Italy, seemed to be an ideal grape for the Clarksburg climate. Cortese, a Piemontese variety, should be more suited to cooler temperatures, however there are quite a few Californian expressions of this grape that have inspired me to explore it. Both were planted in 2013, and converted to organic farming in 2019.

Lost Slough, also in the Clarksburg AVA, was planted in 1989 alongside the family’s pear farm and surrounded by the Snodgrass Slough and Lost Slough. Lost Slough Vineyard has been managed by Chuck Harrison and his family since its 1997. Receiving a bit of cooling influence at night and in the morning from the sloughs, the vineyard also experiences a fair amount of afternoon breeze keeping the temperatures from getting too extreme.