The 2021 SLH Chardonnay was sourced exclusively from the marine influenced Smith & Lindley vineyard in the Santa Lucia Highlands. The Santa Lucia Highlands are perched on the terraces of the Santa Lucia Mountains. South of the Monterey Bay, this cool climate appellation benefits from a combination of sunshine and afternoon winds. These intense winds slow down photosynthesis leading to a long growing season and allowing fruit to mature slowly on the vines for rich and vibrant flavors.
History
Family-owned CRU Winery was founded by long-time friends and entrepreneurs Richard Spencer and Mike Conway. As a long-time wine lover, it had always been a dream of Richard’s to own a winery. In 2003, Richard and Mike purchased land, premium barrels and winemaking supplies to make state-of-the-art wines and began renovations on a building in Madera, California which would become the future home of CRU Winery.
Inspired by the French term cru, which traditionally speaks to a vineyard’s prestige and quality, Richard and Mike began to source grapes from some of California’s finest appellations and CRU Winery was born.
Today, CRU Winery crafts award-winning Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Rhône Varietals and Albariño from prestigious vineyards throughout California’s Central Coast.
CRU Winery is honored to be recognized for crafting high-quality wines that consistently receive 90+ point scores and gold medals from publications and competitions including Wine Enthusiast, Wine & Spirits Magazine and the San Francisco Chronicle. CRU’s history of acclaim is a testament to our talented winemaking team and grower partners.
