Gina Giugni is a second-generation biodynamic farmer and winemaker who farms the 6.5-acre Chene Vineyard in the Edna Valley of San Luis Obispo – just down the Pacific coastline from the sweeping landscape of Big Sur. Since taking over the lease of the vineyard in 2017 (the same year that she started the Lady of the Sunshine wines), Gina has converted Chene to a Demeter Certified Biodynamic site.
Chene Vineyard is planted to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, and is the backbone of Gina’s work, reflecting her values of “farming for the future,” with an emphasis on organic+ farming and minimal intervention throughout the winemaking process to craft wines of gorgeous precision, texture and balance. Ever-evolving, she has expanded her farming at Chene to regenerative practices, focusing on the health of the soil to support the biodynamic vines that grow above.
In addition to the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir she makes from Chene, Gina also partners with like-minded growers – including Stolpman, Talley and her parents’ own Narrow Gate Vineyard in the Sierra Foothills – to round out her small but gorgeous range of wines, which she releases each Spring and Fall. Winemaking is timeless, driven by texture and a keen sense of place: grapes are picked for ideal structure (acid) and balance (flavour development), which means she’s usually harvesting well before others. The fruit is carefully handled, fermentation is always spontaneous with ambient (native) yeasts, and the wines are bottled unfined and unfiltered with minimal SO2.
The Lady of the Sunshine wines have been making waves since their inception. Though just five years into her project, Gina’s thoughtful and thought-provoking wines are a stunning reflection of the meticulous care she puts into her farming and philosophies. She has an ease about guiding grapes through a growing (and winemaking) season, under rigorous biodynamic and regenerative practices, that is both highly respected and admired by fellow Central Coast winemakers. Her wines are gorgeous, ethereal, moderate in alcohol and with exceptional depth. More than that, they’re defined by their balance and texture, nimbly walking a tightrope between delicacy and complexity. We’re so proud to represent them here in Ontario, and encourage anyone interested to reach out to us to secure an allocation!
