Gainey Chardonnay 2010
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Wine
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Robert
Parker
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Winemaker Notes
Boasting superb structure and lush varietal flavors, this deeply satisfying Chardonnay is delicious now, both on its own and with a broad range of seafood, poultry and vegetarian dishes.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
This shows an evident layer of oak in the form of buttered toast and vanilla notes, but the underlying wine is strong in pineapple and golden mango flavors. Fine coastal acidity and a hint of mineral provide structural balance.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2010 Chardonnay shows the richer, tropical fruit side of Santa Rita Hills Chardonnay in its voluptuous notes of mango, butter, sweet spices and lychee. This soft, impeccable wine boasts superb balance and tons of class. Even better, it is a fabulous wine for the money. The Chardonnay was fermented 60% in steel and 40% in oak, then spent eleven months in French oak barrels.
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Dan J. Gainey retired in 1984 to devote himself to fulfilling his dream of making wine. In 1983, he planted 51 acres of vineyards on the northern boundary of the Gainey Ranch and in November of 1984 the 12,000 square foot Spanish-style winery opened its doors to visitors. Soon after, Dan H. Gainey joined his father and together the father-son team have set out to produce premium, hand-crafted wines made from the best vineyards in Santa Barbara County.
With over 40 years of farming experience behind them, the Gaineys have a connection to the land that few vintners may share. Since the original vineyard planting in 1983, the Gaineys have added 32 acres to their "Home" Ranch, which is primarily planted to the Bordeaux varietals Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. In 1996, they purchased 120 acres on the western end of the Santa Ynez Valley, a cooler growing region more suitable for Burgundian varietals. In 1997, they planted 35 acres at this "Santa Rosa Hills" Ranch to Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah, with plans for further plantings in the years ahead.
One of the most popular and versatile white wine grapes, Chardonnay offers a wide range of flavors and styles depending on where it is grown and how it is made. While it tends to flourish in most environments, Chardonnay from its Burgundian homeland produces some of the most remarkable and longest lived examples. California produces both oaky, buttery styles and leaner, European-inspired wines. Somm Secret—The Burgundian subregion of Chablis, while typically using older oak barrels, produces a bright style similar to the unoaked style. Anyone who doesn't like oaky Chardonnay would likely enjoy Chablis.
The largest and perhaps most varied of California’s wine-growing regions, the Central Coast produces a good majority of the state's wine. This vast California wine district stretches from San Francisco all the way to Santa Barbara along the coast, and reaches inland nearly all the way to the Central Valley.
Encompassing an extremely diverse array of climates, soil types and wine styles, it contains many smaller sub-AVAs, including San Francisco Bay, Monterey, the Santa Cruz Mountains, Paso Robles, Edna Valley, Santa Ynez Valley and Santa Maria Valley.
While the Central Coast California wine region could probably support almost any major grape varietiy, it is famous for a few Central Coast reds and whites. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel are among the major ones. The Central Coast is home to many of the state's small, artisanal wineries crafting unique, high-quality wines, as well as larger producers also making exceptional wines.