vivid & energetic CALIFORNIA Pinot Noir and Chardonnay
Eden Rift's extreme terraces and diverse terroir include 90 acres of Pinot Noir and 22 acres of Chardonnay, the two varieties that present the purest expression of the Gavilan Valley's stark, dramatic soils. Winemaker Cory Waller produces a variety of cuveés from these star varieties: the flagship Estate cuveé, the exquisite hillside parcels Terraces cuvée, and a single block Lansdale Pinot Noir wine.
CALIFORNIA'S ORIGINAL PINOT NOIR VINEYARD
Eden Rift's home is in the Cienega Valley AVA, 20 miles inland from Monterey Bay. Set in a remote, Pacific refuge located under the shadow of the Gavilan Mountain Range, the estate rests on the San Andreas Fault. The vineyard sites benefit from an ideal, temperate maritime climate thanks to the nearby Pacific Ocean, as well as calcareous, granitic, limestone and mineral-rich soils that contribute so magnificently to the cultivation of vivid and energetic Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
ONE OF THE TOP 100 WINERIES OF THE WORLD
Eden Rift’s winemaker Cory Waller, spent time in Napa, Oregon, Martinborough, New Zealand, and neighbouring Calera, before joining the team at Eden Rift. A man of few words, Waller favours the fruit of vines that struggle profoundly to produce small, yet delineated yields. He prefers to allow Mother Nature to do her thing. Together, Christian and Corey have overseen a total rejuvenation of the estate, an achievement recognised by Eden Rift’s inclusion in the recent announcment of Wine & Spirits Top 100 Wineries of 2022. Their approach has placed a renewed focus on precise, terroir driven Chardonnay and Pinor Noirs, from the flagship Estate cuveés to single block wines, each crafted with Corey’s agile pursuit of elegance, length, texture and balance over power and heft.
“I think the ‘rift’ in our name is incredibly suitable. To the east we have the warmer inland influence, the North American plate, and decomposed granite. To our west we have the Pacific plate, a coastal influence with daily offshore winds like clockwork during the spring and summer months, and sedimentary soils. Those same winds allow us to be less reliant on a stronger diurnal shift for cooler nights. Together, this dichotomy of the two gives us combining characteristics that are ideal soils and climates for growing excellent Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. There’s a reason Pinot was planted here 80 years ago; it truly is a hidden gem that I hope we can open up to the wine world.”
Cory Waller, Eden Rift Winemaker