2025 Jolie Laide Melon de Bourgogne "The High Priestess"

Our Melon de Bourgogne comes from a unique vineyard in the Chalone appellation, perched 1,800 feet in the Gabilan Mountains at the edge of Pinnacles National Park. Planted in 1985 by Dick Graff on south-facing slopes of decomposed granite and limestone from an ancient volcano, the site looks west over Monterey and the Salinas Valley. Warm, sunny days give way to cool nights and gentle coastal breezes, producing wines that are bright, mineral-driven, and full of energy—California sunshine with a salty, stone-lined edge. Fresh, focused, and quietly complex.

Picked early morning in late August to lock in acidity, the fruit is whole-cluster pressed and fermented naturally in concrete egg and stainless steel, then rested on its lees for six months to build texture while preserving precision, freshness, and saline tension. The wine opens with sea breeze, white flowers, citrus blossom, lemon zest, and crisp green and Asian pear. On the palate, it’s all mouthwatering acidity and chalky oyster-shell minerality. Lively, coastal, and irresistibly drinkable, this is a bottle that pairs best with seafood, sunshine, and another pour. - Jolie Laide Wines