Twenty blocks. Two varieties. One of the most wind-battered, fog-driven, climatically demanding sites on the Sonoma Coast.
The Gap That Shapes the Wine
The Petaluma Gap is not a marketing term. It is a physical phenomenon — a break in the coastal mountain range that channels cold Pacific air and thick morning fog directly inland, creating conditions unlike anywhere else in Sonoma. Temperatures swing dramatically between day and night. Wind is constant. The growing season is long and slow.
For Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, this is ideal. The cold keeps acidity intact. The wind stresses the canopy and concentrates the fruit. The fog moderates summer heat. What grows here does not ripen easily — and that difficulty is exactly what gives the wines their tension and length.
Alex Guarachi acquired Sun Chase in 2013. The estate spans 250 acres, with approximately 39 acres planted across 20 individual blocks of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay — each block managed separately to preserve the distinct character of the site.
"Sun Chase forces patience. The fruit tells you when it's ready — not the calendar."— Julian Gonzalez, Chief Winemaker
Twenty Blocks, Two Expressions
With 20 separate vineyard blocks divided roughly 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay, Sun Chase gives Julian Gonzalez a remarkable palette to work with. Each block is farmed and harvested independently, allowing the winery to capture the micro-variations across the estate and blend with precision.
The Sun Chase Pinot Noir — named one of Robb Report's Top 7 Pinot Noirs — carries the hallmarks of the Petaluma Gap: bright acidity, fine tannin structure, and a cool-climate elegance that sets it apart from warmer Sonoma Coast bottlings. The Sun Chase Chardonnay offers the same coastal restraint — no excess oak, no excess weight, just the clarity of a site that does the work.
From This Vineyard
Sun Chase Estate Wines
