Chenin Blanc Alder Springs Vineyard 2025, Bonifacia Wines

From one of California’s most dramatic mountain vineyards comes an unusually bright and nimble expression of Chenin Blanc. Alder Springs Vineyard rises through the rugged Coast Range near Laytonville, with organically and regeneratively farmed parcels perched at elevations between roughly 1,700 and 2,700 feet.

Bonifacia whole-cluster pressed this tiny 1.2-ton lot, then fermented and aged it entirely in stainless steel before bottling it unfiltered. Green apple and key lime bring the snap, ripe mango supplies a splash of tropical fruit, and a subtle lees-derived texture keeps everything from feeling too lean. At just 11.5% alcohol, it is crisp, refreshing, and exceptionally food-friendly.

Pour it with seafood, green curry, goat cheese, roast pork, or any Tuesday that could stand to improve.

About the Winery

Bonifacia Wines began with a birthday harvest. Anna Bassett-Lopez grew up in California’s San Joaquin Valley and earned a degree in Food Science from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. After working several harvests and traveling through the wine world, she decided in 2019 that it was time to create something of her own. The first grapes for Bonifacia were picked on the morning of Anna’s 28th birthday, a bit of cosmic encouragement that her timing was right.

The name was inspired by Anna’s late uncle, Bonifacio. Bonifacia is the feminine form of the name, which the winery interprets as “a lifetime created by you.” That idea became a fitting foundation for a label built from scratch: personal, independent, and rooted in the belief that a meaningful life is something assembled through your own choices.

That sense of family history continues on every bottle. Each Bonifacia label features a watercolor rendering of a quilt from Anna’s grandmother’s collection. The connection feels especially apt. Both quilting and winemaking bring individual pieces together to create a larger whole, and both preserve the touch and personality of the person who made them.

Anna works with distinctive growers across California, producing an eclectic collection that has included dry-farmed old-vine Zinfandel, Chenin Blanc, Teroldego, Malbec, and Primitivo. The grapes and regions may change, but the goal remains consistent: approachable, expressive wines designed to be shared with a community. Bonifacia’s profile has quietly continued to grow, with its 2021 Malbec selected for Sunset magazine’s Summer 2026 wine-club collection. The wines may come from serious vineyards, but they are made for the table, not the trophy case.