Description
Region: California, United States
Appellation: Edna Valley
Color/Style: Red, Medium Bodied
Grapes: Pinot Noir
Gina Giugni is a second generation biodynamic farmer and winemaker. Gina started Lady of the Sunshine in 2017, with a focus on regenerative, organic, and biodynamic farming in pursuit of making natural wines that reflect the purity of the place they come from.
Since 2018, Gina has been farming the 6.5 acre Chene Vineyard, located in the Edna Valley appellation on the Central Coast. Since her takeover, the vineyard earned Demeter biodynamic certification in 2020 and Lady of the Sunshine earned winery Demeter certification in 2021.
Gina and her husband, Mikey, run Scar of the Sea and Lady of the Sunshine together out of their winery in San Luis Obispo, CA.
Lady of the Sunshine only works with vineyards practicing organic farming techniques or better. All of the wines are fermented using native yeast, natural acidity, minimal amounts of sulfur, and neutral french oak barrels. The wines are moved off the lees only once for bottling, & are always unfined and unfiltered. These wines are made with intention, love, and a deep respect for the land, carrying with them the spirit of the place in which they come from.
The 2021 harvest marked the first official year of demeter biodynamic certification for both the chardonnay & pinot noir from grape to bottle. the one acre of wente clone chardonnay yielded 3 tons to the acre and was picked the first week of september. the grapes were foot crushed and soaked on the skins overnight before being whole bunch pressed the next morning. the juice was collected and barreled down to ferment with native yeast in neutral oak barrels. the fermentation was encouraged to keep warm by soaking in the sun throughout the duration of the fermentation before going dry. the wine aged on its lees for 10 months before being racked for the first time to bottle, without filtration.
