Thick fog, blazing sun, strong winds, cool ocean breezes, and varied terrain... the California coast offers a variety of challenges.
Nevertheless, it is recognised as one of the great wine regions, producing some of the world's finest Chardonnay.
This wine is made using grapes from each region that are carefully blended to create balance, complexity and richness of flavor.
Smooth, luxurious layers of stone fruit and hints of citrus and apple are framed by ripe tropical fruits, honey and baking spices.
The rich flavor leads to a mineral and juicy taste in the mouth, and a solid, luxurious finish.
The 2021 growing season was relatively cool throughout the spring and summer.
Harvesting began a little later than usual, from around the first week of September through the second week of November.
The temperatures remained optimal to slightly cool, resulting in a shorter harvest than usual.
The cool climate and lack of rainfall allowed the white grapes, as well as the black grapes used for rosé wines, to retain their natural acidity and fully express their aromatic and natural flavors.
The black grapes were allowed to ripen slowly, resulting in black fruit characteristics and rich, rounded tannins.
The end result was a beautiful wine that perfectly captures what's best about California.
Nighttime ocean breezes reduced the heat from the afternoon sun, allowing for longer hang time, ultimately resulting in fully ripe grapes with intense flavor.
All fermentation took place in stainless steel tanks with minimal manual intervention, and stirring with the lees gave the wine a velvety smooth mouthfeel.
It underwent 100% malolactic fermentation and was aged in French oak for depth and roundness.
"Meiomi" means "coast" or "shoreline" in the language of the Wappo people, a Native American Indian tribe that lived along the coast of California.
The Meiomi brand started out offering only Pinot Noir, but in 2014 it was selected as the No. 1 Brand by the Glass by Wine & Sprits magazine and has since become extremely popular in restaurants across the United States.
In 2015, it was ranked 20th in Wine Spectator magazine's top 100 wines of the year, and the Chardonnay was released in the same year, further increasing its popularity.
The winery uses carefully selected grapes from the coastal counties of Sonoma, Monterey, and Santa Barbara, which are famous wine-producing regions, to produce full-bodied wines that are typical of California.