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Tina and Brett
Winemaker Nicolas Vonderheyden is a busy guy. Not only does he manage the Chaine d’Or Vineyard in Woodside, California, and run his own label, Maison Areion, but Nicolas is also the Production Manager for G & C Lurton – Trinité Estate all the way up in Healdsburg!
Maison Areion is a passion project for Nicolas, who grew up on his family’s vineyard, Château Monbrison, in Margeaux. As a small child, he found all of the sights and sounds of life in the vineyard infectious. From picking grape clusters that seemed as big as him to playing in the vat room, sorting berries, and sampling – the atmosphere was kinetic.
After receiving his degree in Food Science and Engineering, Nicolas pursued a master’s degree in Wine Estate Management in Bordeaux. With such a robust background, he had no trouble finding a winemaker position in California with Vérité Wines in Sonoma County.
In the following years, Nicolas would bounce back and forth between France and California before settling in Sonoma County in his current position at Trinité Estate.
‘Areion’ was a horse from Greek mythology who was given eternal life and the ability to speak. Nicolas chose the name Areion for his wine label to honor his sister, a professional equestrian who suffered a traumatic brain injury while riding. Nicolas’s sister, who rides dressage, was pursuing her Olympic dreams when the accident happened but did not let the accident stop her from pursuing her dream. She will represent France in the Paralympics in 2024.
Just as his sister continues to follow her dreams with humility in passion, according to Nicolas, he also, “aims to create a winery that is based on humility and passion, and is inspired to do the work himself in every step of the process from farming to winemaking.”
Today, Maison Areion produces 350 cases a year.
Winemakers have been experimenting with grapes in the area now known as the Santa Cruz Mountain AVA since the late 1800s. The appellation stretches across the vast coastal mountain range from Half Moon Bay all the way past Santa Cruz.
Given its topography, the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA has a substantial number of microclimates. Vineyards on the western side of the mountain are drenched in fog and benefit from direct contact with Pacific Ocean breezes. Those vineyards on the eastern side of the range receive more sunlight, along with tempered fog exposure and ocean breezes. Temperatures between the two can see twenty to thirty-degree differences in the summer months.
Of the 76 wineries and 200 boutique vineyards in the region, Ridge Vineyards is the most acclaimed Santa Cruz Mountain winery. Its cool climate cabernet placed 5th in the Judgment of Paris, and the Monte Bello Red Blend is a favorite among wine critics.
Chaine d’Or Vineyard in the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA is a hobby vineyard planted by Jane and Jerry Anderson on their property in Woodside, California. If the town of Woodside sounds familiar, that’s because the town is just a stone’s throw from Sand Hill Rd, one of the largest epicenters of venture capital in the US.
The Andersons have interesting backgrounds. Jane is a graphic designer whose love of wine compelled her to take enology courses at UC Davis’s esteemed wine school and learn the craft of winemaking. While Jane does not have a scientific background, what she does have is an intuitive palate that she used to guide her in the creation of the first Chaine d’Or wines.
Jerry, on the other hand, is a trained physicist who worked with the 1968 winners of the Nobel Prize in Physics. These days, however, he has traded physics for the family tractor, which he heartily enjoys driving.
Jane served as a winemaker for over 20 years before the couple brought on Nicolas to manage the property in 2015. When Nicolas took over the vineyard, he transitioned the property to one that was farmed organically and sustainably. The soil and vine canopies are not treated with any pesticides or herbicides.
Jane and Jerry planted their two-acre Chaine d’Or Vineyard to chardonnay, cabernet, cabernet franc, merlot, and petit verdot grapes back in the late 80s, and the vines are now 30 years old.
USA
California> Santa Cruz Mountains
Chardonnay
14
49–55°F / 9–12°C
Chardonnay
Not Necessary
Now to 2024
The 2019 Maison Areion Chardonnay is a Chablis-style chardonnay whose grapes were hand harvested and biodynamically farmed. The grapes underwent whole cluster fermentation with native yeasts before being barrel-aged in neutral French oak.
In the glass, this chardonnay is a clear, bright golden color. The nose of the wine grabs you with an essence of lemony cream and tropical fruit notes of mango and banana. Subtle apple, pear, and licorice are also present.
The palate similarly expresses the lemon and apple notes and also has the biting acidity of pear and graphite, along with moderating notes of chalk.
It’s always exciting to try wines from micro vineyards like the Anderson’s two-acre Chaine d’Or and by winemakers who are as dedicated to the craft as Nicolas Vonderheyden. We found this interpretation of Chablis-style wine from California to be outstanding. His Pinot is also a big hit in our household.
And we really appreciate the dedication that both the Anderson family and Nicolas have for the pursuit of French-inspired wine from the California mountains.
