TERROIR
Pelio is located just west of Laureles Grade in Carmel Valley, in what will soon officially be the Carmel Coast AVA. At 1000 ft and seven miles from Monterey Bay, this site pushes the boundaries on cool-climate viticulture. Up to a few feet of clay loam topsoil, littered with diatomaceous shale, sit over shale bedrock- evidence that this area was under the sea until about 12 million years ago. Planted in 2003 and organically farmed, Pelio lends itself to wines exploding with fresh fruit, dusty herbs, and bright acidity. Our chard block is a very shaly, north-facing hillside, perfectly suited to sparkling wine production.

WINEMAKING
This is the second vintage of SLS bubbles, inspired by the great grower champagnes of the Côte des Blancs, as well as by close friends in California who were also similarly inspired. In order to achieve the style and quality desired, we pick early but not underripe, ferment in steel, and age in barrel to add layers of complexity before “tirage”- bottling with yeast and sugar, transforming the still wine into sparkling wine. It then ages for nearly three years in bottle on the lees, building even more layers of complexity, before riddling and disgorging. Everything is done by hand, with precision and love.

TECH
100% chardonnay
Alcohol 12.0%
pH 2.92
No malolactic fermentation
Native alcoholic fermentation in stainless steel was started by a pied de cuve from the vineyard
6 months élévage in 100% neutral French oak barrels
33 months tirage
Hand disgorged January 2026 with 2.2 g/L dosage 
3 barrels  • 70 cases produced
Unfined & unfiltered

PRESS
93 WE
96 JD