From the Winemaker: Madson was founded in 2018 by Cole Thomas and Ken Swegles, two Santa Cruz Mountains veterans whose experience includes work at Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard and a shared interest in organic farming and low-intervention winemaking. Thomas, who began as an organic vegetable farmer before working harvests in Australia and New Zealand, returned to California to establish Madson with a focus on organically farmed, site-driven wines that reflect the cool, rugged character of the Santa Cruz Mountains. The Luchessi Vineyard, planted in 1981 on a steep hillside in the eastern Santa Cruz Mountains, is farmed with old head-trained vines and provides the Cabernet Sauvignon with a distinctly traditional sense of place.

The “Le Soleil” is a blend of Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay and honors the dappled sunlight that makes our mountainous terroir so special. The blend consists of 35.48% Mindego Ridge (935ft), 32.25% Marine Terrace (400ft), 12.93% Soda Springs (2,250ft), 9.67% Coyote Ranch (400ft), and 9.67% Ascona (2,400ft) grapes, all from organically farmed vineyards across the appellation. These vineyards are planted on ancient marine sandstone and shale. The mountainous sites lack substantial topsoil, limiting yields and enhancing depth and mineral intensity. The 2025 vintage was challenging, and although we had a warm spring and great fruit set, we had a cold, wet harvest season. Achieving ripeness with the fear of botrytis forming in the wet conditions was our hurdle in 2025. Ultimately, we spent extra time sorting our fruit upon harvest and the resulting wines show incredible balance in a cool vintage.

At Madson, our Chardonnay begins with gentle crushing followed by a one-hour skin maceration to enhance flavor extraction. We press the fruit with great care, using very low pressure to capture only the finest juice and avoid any bitter compounds. The juice is transferred to neutral oak barrels to ferment naturally. After fermentation completes, we top the barrels and age the wine on lees for 9 months. The following summer, the wine is moved to stainless steel for an additional 2 months to refine and finish maturation before bottling. This wine is enjoyable now but will also reward careful cellaring for 5–8 years, reaching its peak with time. 12.8% ABV, 25 barrels produced

Aromas of ocean air, white flowers, and crushed stone. The palate is bright and layered, with green apple, pineapple, guava, and a hint of lemon peel. This Chardonnay shows the coolness of our coastal terroir with minerality and freshness, while the elevation of the Santa Cruz Mountains provides exposure to the afternoon sunshine, “Le Soleil”.

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