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Broc Cellars

Chenin Blanc 2017

Price: $29.95
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Tasting notes

This is a mineral-driven, single-vineyard Chenin Blanc that does not read like a California white: the citrus and salted plum character with a honeyed finish comes from old-cutting vines and a cool, fog-influenced site. Full malolactic fermentation rounds the texture without masking the acidity, keeping the wine precise and food-ready.

BodyFruitTanninAcidity
LemonHoneyPearSaline
  • Style: Dry, medium-bodied white; mineral and citrus-driven; full MLF; 12% ABV
  • Grapes & Terroir: 100% Chenin Blanc; Frei Vineyard, Solano County Green Valley AVA; cuttings from 1979 plantings on Pinot Gris rootstock; organically farmed; loamy alluvial soils
  • Winemaking: Direct press; native yeast fermentation; 10-month aging in neutral French oak barrels; 100% malolactic fermentation; minimal SO2 at bottling
  • Serving: Serve at 48-52F; no decant needed; drink now or hold 2-3 years
  • Pairing: Oysters, grilled shellfish, roast chicken, soft-rind cheese, lemon-dressed salads
  • Similar To: For fans of Loire Chenin Blanc (Savennieres, Vouvray sec) who want a California take with mineral precision

This single-vineyard Chenin Blanc comes from the Frei Vineyard in the Green Valley of Solano County, California. The vines are newly grafted Chenin Blanc cuttings taken from 1979 plantings, grown on what were originally Pinot Gris rootstock. The vineyard sits in a small AVA about 12 miles northeast of San Pablo Bay, where cool maritime fog moderates temperatures and extends the ripening season. Soils are loamy, sandy, and alluvial with excellent drainage.

Grapes were direct pressed and fermented with native yeasts in neutral French oak barrels, where the wine also aged for 10 months. The wine went through 100% malolactic fermentation, softening its naturally high acidity into a rounder, more textured structure. No additives were used aside from a minimal amount of sulfur at bottling.

On the nose, the wine leads with mineral intensity alongside citrus, salted plum, and honey. The palate shows tart lemon, ripe pear, and a saline finish. The full MLF keeps the mouthfeel plush while the cool-climate acidity preserves freshness. At 12% ABV, it sits firmly in the lighter, food-friendly range for California whites.

Broc Cellars is an urban winery operating out of Berkeley, CA, founded by Chris Brockway in 2002. All wines are made using spontaneous fermentation from organically farmed California fruit, with no commercial yeasts, enzymes, or fermentation additions.

The wine's bright acidity and saline finish make it a natural match for raw oysters, grilled shellfish, and pan-seared fish. The honey and pear notes on the palate pair well with soft-rind cheeses like Brie or Camembert. Roast chicken with herbs or a simple lemon-dressed salad also work well.

Wine details

Dry/Sweet:, Dry
Wine Type:, White Wine
Wine Style:, Medium Body
Grapes:, Chenin Blanc
Farming:, Organic
Vintage:, 2017
Alcohol:, 12%
Country:, USA
Region:, Solano County
Appellation:, Solano County Green Valley AVA
Bottle Size:, 750ml
Sugar Level:, Zero Added Sugar

We will process and ship your order in 2-3 business days, you will receive a shipping confirmation email with tracking as soon as the Carrier scans the shipping label.

Ground shipping time depends on location, here's a breakdown:

West Coast: 1-2 business days
Midwest: 3-4 business days
East Coast: 5 business days

Process time is not shipping time. Shipping time starts from the days successive to the day of shipping, after the order has been processed.

See here our shipping policy.


Important Compliance Requirements

FedEx and other carriers we might occasionally use can only deliver wine to customers who are 21 years or older. Someone must be at the address to receive the package, carriers don't just drop a package and leave. They must ensure the person receiving the wine is 21 or older.


Re-shipping a Package

If a package is returned to us after three failed delivery attempts, we can only re-ship the wine upon payment of a re-shipping fee, to be determined based on the shipping address and number of bottles. Shipping wine is extremely expensive. We are sorry about this, but we have no other choice. Please make sure there's always someone at the address you enter as your shipping address.

If you'd like to receive a refund for a package that was returned to us after FedEx made three delivery attempts, we can do that but we must keep a $20 refund fee; FedEx charges us a lot of money for returns, unfortunately, I can't stress this enough.


Re-routing a Package

If you'd like to reroute a package after it's been shipped, we can do so for a $20 re-routing fee. We cannot re-route a package across state borders. For any change of address, please contact us as soon as possible, ideally within 1-2 days from placing the order or we cannot guarantee we'll be able to reroute or change your order's shipping address.


Canceling an Order

If you'd like to cancel an order after it's been shipped, we can do so upon payment of a small cancellation fee – the amount depends on the size of the order. Carriers charge us a lot of money to recall a package en-route.


Heat/Frost damage

We are not responsible for heat- or frost-related issues. We offer ice-packs upon request. Please let us know if you think that there could be heat-related issues. If we don't hear anything from you regarding weather issues before an order is shipped, or if you don't request a hold due to the weather, we are not responsible for heat/frost damage.


Placed an order. What next?

1. You will receive an order confirmation email with your order summary.*

2. As soon as your order ships from the warehouse, usually within 2-3 business days, this applies to all shipping rates, you will receive a shipping confirmation email with your tracking information. 2DAY shipping refers to shipping time; we still need 2-3 business days to prepare an order. We need to pick and pack, QA, add printed collateral, and palletize the orders.

3. Please track your package using the tracking service.

4. The carrier will attempt delivery a maximum of 3 times. After 3 delivery attempts, your package will be sent back to our warehouse.**

*Please ensure your email address is correct; otherwise, you will not receive the order and shipping confirmation emails.

**If delivery is attempted 3 times without success, or if you fail to retrieve your package from the carrier depot by the stated deadline, the shipping fee will not be refunded to the customer.

Returns Policy

If you are not satisfied with your purchase, please contact us at (424) 414-2040 or via e-mail at hello@primalwine.com between 9 am and 5 pm Pacific Standard Time, Monday through Sunday, we would like to understand and try to solve your concerns. We can offer refunds only as store credit.

Producer profile

Broc Cellars

Broc Cellars was founded in 2002 by Chris Brockway, an Omaha native who studied enology at UC Davis and later completed a degree at Cal State Fresno. He moved to the Bay Area and worked at a conventional winery before frequenting San Francisco's early natural wine bars, which shaped his approach to winemaking. Broc Cellars operates out of two warehouse spaces in Berkeley's Gilman District.

The winery works exclusively with organically farmed vineyards across California, sourcing from Solano County, Mendocino County, Paso Robles, Madera County, and Suisun Valley, among others. In 2021, Brockway took over farming operations at Fox Hill Vineyard in Mendocino, which he purchased in 2023; the site is now CCOF certified organic. All other fruit is sourced from family-owned, organically farmed partner vineyards.

All Broc Cellars wines are made with spontaneous fermentation using only native yeasts and bacteria present on the grapes. No commercial yeasts, nutrients, enzymes, or tannins are added at any stage. Sulfur use is minimal: when added at all, it goes in a few weeks before bottling so it can fully integrate. The cellar uses a combination of stainless steel tanks, concrete, wooden tanks, neutral barrels, and a dedicated barrel and concrete egg room.

Wine region

Solano County, USA

Solano County Green Valley is a small AVA located approximately 12 miles northeast of San Pablo Bay and just 8 miles from Napa township, in the southern foothills of the Vaca Mountains. The AVA sits at the cooler end of Winkler Region III, with cool, moist winds blowing inland from the Pacific Ocean and San Pablo Bay almost continuously from May through early fall. Fog is prevalent during the growing season, moderating daytime heat and extending the ripening period to preserve natural acidity.

Soils in Solano County Green Valley are predominantly deep, well-drained alluvial loams and sandy loams deposited on valley floors and stream terraces. Chenin Blanc has a documented history in the county, and the region's cool maritime conditions suit high-acid white varieties well. The AVA received its designation in 1982 and remains one of California's less commercially prominent but viticulturally interesting North Coast sub-appellations, sitting just southeast of Napa Valley.

Frequently asked question

We will process and ship your order in 2-3 business days, you will receive a shipping confirmation email with tracking as soon as the Carrier scans the shipping label.

Ground shipping time depends on location, here's a breakdown:

West Coast: 1-2 business days
Midwest: 3-4 business days
East Coast: 5 business days

Process time is not shipping time. Shipping time starts from the days successive to the day of shipping, after the order has been processed.

See here our shipping policy.

Signature on delivery is mandatory for wine deliveries. Please make sure someone is at the shipping address to sign for the package.

If applicable, please consider delivering the package to a business address to ensure someone is available to sign for the package.

We also have the option of delivering the package to a Carrier's store for pickup. Please reach out to us to coordinate.

Carrier will try to delivery a package up to three times before returning the package to us.

See here our shipping policy.

If you miss a delivery and a package gets returned to us we have two options:

1) Reship the package right away: due to the very high cost of shipping and returns, we must charge a re-shipping fee to be determined based on package size and shipping destination.

2) Consolidate the returned package with your next order: this option is free of charge and it's the most popular option.

See here our shipping policy.

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