2022 · Dry Riesling

Claiborne & Churchill is a small, family-owned winery in California’s Edna Valley, founded in 1983 by Clay Thompson and Fredericka Churchill after inspiration from France’s Alsace region. The producer specializes in dry, Alsatian-style wines, particularly Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris and Edelzwicker, alongside cool-climate Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Rhône varieties. Fruit comes from estate vineyards, including Twin Creeks, and long-standing local vineyard partners. Head winemaker Zack Geers leads production, with Clay Thompson continuing to make select wines. Their distinctive winery, built from rice-straw bales, reflects the family’s independent, hands-on character, while stainless-steel fermentation and careful vineyard and barrel selection support aromatic purity and distinctive site expression.