2022 Onward Hawkeye Ranch Carignan 750mL

In 2006, Faith Armstrong finished a UC Davis degree in viticulture and enology on a Regents Scholarship, then moved into production at Frank Family Vineyards, where she rose to assistant winemaker. In 2009, after buying her first Mendocino fruit, she launched her own label and named it for the small boat, Onward, that ferried her to school as a child in coastal British Columbia.

Onward began with single vineyard wines and today includes both the classic boat label series, which stays focused on site, and an art label series that lets her pivot with vintage conditions. Armstrong’s work centers on close relationships with growers at places like Hawkeye Ranch in Redwood Valley and other heritage sites, picking on the early side to honor each vineyard’s character. She describes her approach as natural, with an emphasis on transparency to grape and place.