THANK YOU ALL FOR AN AMZING BD16!! OFFER CLOSED
Maître de Chai – translated to “Keeper of the Cellar” – started in 2012 by friends Marty Winters and Alex Pitts with a single barrel of wine from Steve Matthiasson’s Michael Mara Vineyard. Today, we produce several single vineyard sparkling and still wines from old vine (often 50-100 year old vines), mostly dry farmed, organic vineyards. Our ethos is centered around showcasing beautiful vineyards that are farmed impeccably by small, often multi-generational families. We work with heritage California grape varieties, and in the cellar we take a low intervention approach to craft wine emblematic of California with native yeast fermentations and no additions outside of minimal effective sulfur.
CRITIC REVIEWS:
“I was super impressed with the wines I tasted from Maître de Chai. Marty Winters and Alex Pitts met as young chefs working in some of California’s most prestigious kitchens. Over the years, both of their career paths led to wine. Winters and Pitts founded Maître de Chai in 2012 and have quietly built their range since then. The wines draw from a number of sites across several appellations in northern California, all done in a style that emphasizes freshness and verve. As readers will discover, a number of wines in this lineup are truly compelling, most notably the Cabernet Sauvignon Gala Vineyard, which may very well be the single best value in Napa Valley Cabernet today.”
- Antonio Galloni, From 2022 Sonoma Preview: A First Look (Jan 2024)
"Their Maitre de Chai winery brings a fresh take to California’s old vines” … “Their takes on those classics feel fresh and novel, from an insistently floral Zinfandel from Lodi’s Stampede Vineyard to their hauntingly mineral Sparkling Chardonnay Solera from Sonoma’s Michael Mara Vineyard.”
- Esther Mobley, San Francisco Chronicle: 2019 Winemakers to Watch
“The Maître de Chai, though, seemed to be a wine of a particular place, earthier and more mineral, with focused fruit and floral flavors and a pleasant touch of tannin”… “The third bottle, from Maître de Chai — French for cellar master — stood out. It was a single-vineyard wine, unlike the others, from grapes grown on decomposed granite soils in Clement Hills, a small viticultural area in the southeast part of Lodi.”
- Eric Asimov, New York Times: Finding the Heart of Zinfandel
THE DETAILS:
Over the past few years we have been happy to share offers though this amazing event – we now wanted to give you the flexibility to make a choice of what wines you’d like to take home. We have added several vintages of LIBRARY 750ml and MAGNUMS – including the 2019 Gala Mtn Cabernet Sauvignon ONLY 48 BTLS Available!!!
As you click through to the website and make your selections for orders no need for any code at checkout. Add items to your cart – You will receive Free Ground shipping on all purchases of 6 bottles or more and discounts ranging from 20-30% off. Magnum purchases are considered one bottle and in a 6 or 12 bottle mix will ship for FREE!!!
ANY ORDER OF 6 BOTTLES OR MORE WILL RECEIVE 20% off and Free Ground Shipping!!!
ANY ORDER OF 12 BOTTLES OR MORE WILL RECEIVE 30% OFF and Free Ground Shipping!!!
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THE Current Release Wines:
Sparkling Chenin Blanc, Wilson Vineyard, Clarksburg 11.5% ABV (AG 90pts): The vines were planted in 1998 and the hallmark of the site is electric acidity. A Traditional Method Sparkling wine, made in the style of Champagne, but distinctly Californian. Our intent is to produce an approachable American sparkling wine that showcases the versatility of Chenin Blanc in California.
2023 Ellison Sauvignon Blanc, Sonoma Mountain 14% ABV (AG 93 pts): The Ellison Vineyard (formerly the Herron Vineyard), was planted in 1969 and is comprised of an acre and a half of Sauvignon Blanc on Sonoma Mountain. This dry-farmed vineyard is one of the oldest Sauvignon Blanc parcels in the United States. After a long, wet winter in 2023, we saw an early bud break on the south slopes of Sonoma Mountain. Spring was mild, and a warm summer followed. In early September, we picked our 10th vintage from these 54-year-old Sauvignon Blanc vines. Whole-cluster pressed & fermented in neutral oak, the wine is everything you’d want from a textural California Sauvignon Blanc. Lime, Guava and crenshaw melon highlight a strong mineral backbone with bright acidity. Drink now, but as always, save a few for the cellar.
2022 Wheeler Chardonnay, San Benito County 13.5% ABV (AG 92pts): Our Wheeler Vineyard Chardonnay was planted in 1974 on AXR1 rootstock. Planted on a gravelly alluvial terrace located a stone’s throw from the town of Tres Pinos in the San Benito AVA. 2021 was our first vintage working with this historic site and we couldn’t be happier with the wine. Whole cluster pressed and fermented in neutral oak barrels, producing a powerful, textured Chardonnay with all of the acidity you’d expect from a cool climate, old vine vineyard such as Wheeler. ***From Antonio Galloni:*The 2022 Chardonnay Wheeler Vineyard is a bit more finessed and also more tropical than the 2021 tasted alongside it. Tangerine oil, marzipan, spice and white flowers lend an exotic flair, yet it also offers lovely freshness. A year of experience working with this site paid off handsomely. This is a big step up from the 2021. (92pts)
2022 Stampede Zinfandel, Clements Hills 12.6% ABV (AG 93pts): Zinfandel can be notoriously difficult to work with due to its inherent uneven ripening. This year marks nine vintages of working with the Perlegos Family. The 2022 vintage from the Stampede Vineyard is one that speaks to the ‘True North Star’ of the Maître de Chai wines. We have always set out to craft a Zinfandel that has structured tannins, bright acidity and that speaks to the soil in which the vines are rooted and the 2022 vintage checks all of these boxes. Harvested on August 28th, fermented with native yeasts in a mix of whole cluster andde-stemmed open top fermentations. Aged exclusively in 500L puncheons for 14 months before being bottled with no fining or filtration. Strawberry, plum and raspberry with a touch of cola and licorice round out a bright finish with subtle texture but sturdy tannins. The finesse of this wine makes it drinkable now, but will age for years to come. From Antonio Galloni: The 2022 Zinfandel Stampede Vineyard is fabulous. It is sourced from a site in Lodi planted in the 1920s. Pliant and supple, with gorgeous balance, the 2022 impresses right out of the gate. The combination of vibrant fruit and light to medium-bodied structure makes for an absolutely compelling Zinfandel. There is a purity to this wine that is so striking. The body and textural feel reminds me of wines from the 1950s and 1960s that I have tasted, naturally as mature wines. (93pts)
2022 Gala Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 14.2% (AG 92pts): 30 year old, terraced vines. Amazing mountaintop fruit from Mount George on the eastern side of the Napa Valley. South of Atlas Peak, and just above Coombsville at the beginning of the Vaca Mountain Range. The vineyard is currently farmed organic and is in transition into Biodynamic farming.
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SHIPPING DETAILS: All orders will ship ASAP exclusively though FedEx – We are a small but mighty team and handle all of our shipping direct from the winery. We hope to fulfill all orders within a week, so take that into account when placing your order.
PLACES WE DON’T SHIP: AL, AK, HI, KY, TN, ND, SD, UT, WY. All other states are good to go!
After an order is placed we cannot make any changes to that order. If you have questions about your order, please email info@mdc.wine and we’d be happy to help.
WHAT’S THE SHIPPING COST?: Free Shipping for all orders over 6 Bottles, Magnums Ship Free
SALES TAXES: Sales tax will automatically be added to your order at checkout.
Thank you for this opportunity to share our wines and for the opportunity to participate! Without you and Wine Berserkers, this would not be possible. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out: info@mdc.wine or in the comments below.
CHEERS!!!
Marty & Alex
