For many people traveling to the wine country, the Carneros AVA is the first designated viticultural area they experience. Situated at the southern end of both Sonoma and Napa Counties and just a few miles from the northern tip of San Francisco Bay, Carneros is one of the coolest valleys in the area. When the fog rolls off the Bay and floods into Carneros cooling the hot days, the grapes do a miraculous thing: They stop metabolizing and curl their leaves under to retain whatever water they collect from the fog. That means the grapes achieve a fantastic acidity and stop producing sugar almost every night. So Carneros Chardonnays are unique from their brethren grown in other California AVAs, because they are supremely elegant and sophisticated. Our Chardonnay comes from the highly prized Sangiacomo district in Carneros, a 1,200 acre vineyard that sits between Arnold Drive and Highway 12 in Sonoma.