Introducing the Inaugural “Pit of Chaos” Paso Robles Chenin Blanc and the Ultra-Coastal “Moth to Flame” Chardonnay
July 28, 2026 (Paso Robles, CA) — Hawks Hill Ranch winery today unveiled two new spellbinding white wines from its “Open Outcry” line—the 2023 Moth to Flame Chardonnay (San Luis Obispo Coast) and the inaugural 2024 Pit of Chaos Chenin Blanc (Paso Robles Adelaida District).
While Hawks Hill Ranch focuses exclusively on estate-grown reds from its Adelaida District vineyard, Owner-Vintner Kit Kuyper established Open Outcry as a separate platform for boundary-breaking wines from top local vineyards.
“Open Outcry is a creative outlet that helps us remain curious and connected here in our own backyard of the Central Coast,” Kuyper said. “The exploratory nature of this program is perfectly reflected in these two new releases. When we discover fruit that is impossible to ignore or resist, that’s when Open Outcry comes into play.”
Both new releases ($65 each) are available for a limited time at HHRWinery.com.
Deeply Rooted Chenin Blanc
The 2024 “Pit of Chaos Chenin Blanc comes from Bailey Ranch Vineyard in the mountainous Adelaida District of Paso Robles, which was first planted to Chenin Blanc more than 50 years ago. Dave Bailey and his family planted their own-rooted vineyard in 1970. Bailey still farms the site to this day, and he continues to propagate cuttings in order to maintain this historic vineyard. The clone itself remains a mystery.
Kuyper, a longtime fan of California Chenin Blancs, fell even more in love with the grape while visiting his brother in South Africa, where Chenin Blanc—known there as “Steen”—is the signature wine. Traveling in Swartland, he developed an affinity for “Chenin Blancs with limited inputs and unbelievable focus and complexity.”
When fruit from Bailey Ranch Vineyard became available in 2024, Kuyper jumped at the opportunity to produce his first-ever Chenin Blanc. The rest is history, and the result is a Chenin Blanc with pitch-perfect varietal textures, brilliant acidity and crisp orchard fruit flavors.
Hawks Hill Ranch has published a feature story with additional details on the unique origins of the 2024 Pit of Chaos Chenin Blanc. The story can be viewed here.
Ocean Grown Chardonnay
The Moth to Flame Chardonnay is the wine that launched Open Outcry starting with the 2019 vintage. The term “Moth to Flame” refers to Kuyper’s longtime quest to find a California wine that captured the bright minerality of a Montrachet from Burgundy.
Fittingly, when Kuyper was presented with the opportunity to acquire fruit from a newer site located just a mile from the Pacific Ocean, he couldn’t resist. Ever since, the Moth to Flame Chardonnay has been the flagship wine of Open Outcry, expressing an energy, focus and style that could only come from this ultra-coastal terroir in the northwest reaches of the San Luis Obispo Coast AVA.
The 2023 Moth to Flame Chardonnay carries the story forward with its fresh, minerally textures and mouthwatering varietal expression.
About Hawks Hill Ranch
Hawks Hill Ranch is a working ranch and vineyard in the remote coastal mountains of the Paso Robles Adelaida District, where we are dedicated to producing wines of location and distinction. In 2025, critic Jeb Dunnuck stated that “Hawks Hill Ranch winery is quietly producing some of the most compelling Rhône and Bordeaux-inspired wines in Paso Robles.” Hawks Hill Ranch was also named a “2026 Best Paso Robles Winery to Visit” by Wine Enthusiast. Come experience our scenic tasting room and acclaimed Estate Ranch Tours at 5800 Adelaida Road in the Adelaida District. More at HHRWinery.com.
