Tegan Passlacqua knocked it out of the park with his 2023 Chenin Blanc, a wine that totally blew me away when I tasted it recently. There's such poise and precision here, and I totally get why Antonio Galloni of Vinous Media rated it 94 points:
"Aromatic, bright and lifted, it possesses gorgeous floral lift and nuance. White flowers, citrus peel, chalk, mint and slate give this understated wine tons of detail."
Mr. Passalacqua's "day job" is as the lead winemaker for Turley. I'm not sure where he finds the time to pursue his side project at Sandlands, where he focuses on forgotten classic California varieties, grown in decomposed granite (sand).
Most of the grapes come from an elevated, 45-year-old vineyard in Amador County, and a "whopping" 400 cases were made in the highly-regarded 2023 vintage. I don't know how Tegan continues to find these special and old sites in California, but the work he's doing at Sandlands is some of the most exciting and groundbreaking of any vigneron in our country.
I would be happy to pour this alongside top-flight dry Vouvrays and Saumurs, and it would fare well. It's so pure, precise, and mouthwatering, and I love the way it balances Chenin's mineral nuances (sea salt, flint, slate) against the grape's natural fruit character (green pear, green apple, citrus).
For lovers of dry, mineralic, and high-toned white wines, you really need to try this. It comes from one of our country's greatest winemakers, and it drinks like a much more expensive wine. It's also a testament to the fact that California doesn't just make great Cab, Chard, and Pinot.
Josh Spurling
Owner, Operator, Wine Monger
Table Wine Asheville
