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This isn't a suited-up handshake that occurs in a Miami Boardroom or a Virginia Steakhouse, it's a series of real, down-to-earth conversations between two groups of people that are very passionate about each of their respective livelihoods.

There is a lot of satisfaction that comes in this business when you pursue representation of a winery for a decent period of time, and they finally agree to a partnership with your company. This isn't a suited-up handshake that occurs in a Miami Boardroom or a Virginia Steakhouse, it's a series of real, down-to-earth conversations between two groups of people that are very passionate about each of their respective livelihoods. We are always looking for ways to include more Producers whom we really believe in and genuinely admire in our portfolio - and today we are able to announce another one of those Producers.

Whitcraft Winery was founded in 1985 by Chris and Kathleen Whitcraft. They always focused on making wines in a very traditional, ancient-school way. When Drake Whitcraft took over the family winery in 2007, his goal was to make balanced Central Coast wine of purity, honesty, and finesse. Because he grew up within the culture of wine and California winemaking, he was perpetually under the tutelage of both father Chris and friend Burt Williams, founder of the legendary Williams-Selyem winery in Sonoma. During a two year stint in Australia working at Green Vineyards with first-generation Italo-Australian and biodynamic guru Sergio Carlei, he got a good taste of certain practices he wanted to implement, not only in the vineyard and winery but also on the business side. Now Drake is vinifying with the same old school techniques his dad used (hand-harvesting, foot-pressing, etc, no added enzymes or coloration) and with much veneration to Mother Nature herself.

He uses some biodynamic practices to produce Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Syrah, and Grenache of distinction; he does not de-stem or adds water. Drake has chosen to inoculate only with the Williams Selyem strain, a yeast native to the Jackass Hill portion of Lino Martinelli’s Zinfandel vineyard on the Russian River. “It’s a super yeast,” he says “guaranteed to ferment.” Whole cluster fermentation is never subject to pump over and the wines are not racked off the lees. He hand fills and hand corks each bottle. The wine receives just enough SO2 to stabilize it, and the production is super small. The resulting wines are pure and impeccably balanced. They represent a cross-section of the emerging class of site-specific wines coming out of Central Coast California today.

We are very proud to offer you a selection of wines from this ultra-boutique and limited producer for the first time in Arizona (technical info borrowed from our friend, David Shiverick). Additional Reading Material Below with links to each wine.

Chardonnay

• 'Pence Ranch' Chardonnay, 2018
*Santa Ynez Valley, California*
*93 pts WE - Pence Ranch 2016*
*91 pts WA - Pence Ranch 2016*
*91 pts WE - Pence Ranch 2017*
*90 pts Vinous - Pence Ranch 2013*
**• 'La Rinconada' Chardonnay, 2018**
*Sta. Rita Hills, Californi*a

Pinot Noir

• **'4 Soils' Pinot Noir, 2019**
*Santa Barbara County, California*
**• Pinot Noir, 2019**
*Sta. Rita Hills, California*
• **'Pence Ranch - Clone 115' Pinot Noir, 2019**
*Sta. Rita Hills, California*
93 pts WE - Clone 115 2017
*93 pts WE - Clone 115 2016*
*92 pts WA - Clone 115 2016*

• **'La Rinconada' Pinot Noir, 2019**
*Sta. Rita Hills, California*
*95 pts WE - La Rinconada 2018*

Grenache

**• 'Stolpman Vineyard' Grenache, 2019**
*Ballard Canyon, California*
*94 pts WE - Stolpman Grenache 2018*
*93 pts WE - Stolpman Grenache 2016*

Additional Material

"In the Kind of World Where We Belong: An Interview with Drake Whitcraft" - R.H. Drexler, Vinous, December, 2015
https://a7b45b4b-6e86-43d7-be33-b55b40c3fc20.filesusr.com/ugd/bf7a7c_0a8ba2aaf2924fbab4845cc6cdfc8653.pdf

"Visit Whitcraft Winery for What's Perhaps Santa Barbara's Best Wine" -Geneva Ivas, USA Today, January 12, 2015
https://a7b45b4b-6e86-43d7-be33-b55b40c3fc20.filesusr.com/ugd/bf7a7c_b1bb5b24a63f4465b07cf9211bd8c763.pdf

Whitcraft Winery | Welcome to Action Wine!

This isn't a suited-up handshake that occurs in a Miami Boardroom or a Virginia Steakhouse, it's a series of real, down-to-earth conversations between two groups of people that are very passionate about each of their respective livelihoods.

Additional Material