Pali Wine Co Huber Vineyard Chardonnay 2013
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Wine Enthusiast
Just enough white peach and pineapple ripeness on the nose plays to the hedonistic side of the grape, but gracious notes of chalk dust and mandarin orange pith keep it intellectual. The palate is lively and citrus-driven, showing green apple, Bosc pear, salted lemons and more peach.
Pali is a Lompoc-based winery, on the western edge of the iconic Santa Ynez Valley in Santa Barbara County, committed to producing ultra-high-quality wines at fair prices without a shred of snobbery. Pali employs environmentally friendly wine grape growing, and non-invasive winemaking practices. Founded in 2005 with the intent to produce Burgundy-inspired wines from California’s Central Coast, Pali Wine Co. now consists of three brands with distinct focuses. The original Pali brand focuses on premium Pinot Noir and Chardonnay sourced primarily from Pali’s own Santa Rita Hills and Sonoma vineyards.
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.
A superior source of California Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, Sta. Rita Hills is the coolest, westernmost sub-region of the larger Santa Ynez Valley appellation within Santa Barbara County. This relatively new AVA is unquestionably one to keep an eye on.
The climate of Sta. Rita Hills is a natural match for Chardonnay and Pinot noir, thanks to the crisp ocean breezes and well-drained, limestone-rich calcareous soil. Here, grapes ripen just enough, while retaining brisk acidity and harmonious balance.