TAZ Santa Barbara Chardonnay 2006
Chardonnay
-
Wine
Enthusiast
Product Details
Varietal
Producer
Vintage
2006
Size
750ML
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
The 2006 TAZ Santa Barbara Chardonnay is 100 percent barrel fermented in French oak (35% new), and undergoes a partial malolactic fermentation. I like the wine to have nice viscosity and mid-palate weight, but my main goal is to preserve the natural acidity and tropical fruit that has put Santa Barbara County Chardonnay on the map. This wine opens with aromas of citrus, pear and pineapple. The wine is creamy, but balanced with a refreshing acidity and lengthy finish.
"A cool (growing region) has given this Chardonnay brilliantly crisp acidity, while ripening the fruit to perfection. Apricots, peaches, pearsand mangoes are the primary flavors, enhanced with rich, toasty oak." - Wine Enthusiast
Professional Ratings
- Wine Enthusiast
TAZ Vineyards, like many artisan producers in Santa Barbara County, is located in a winemaker's cooperative warehouse in Santa Maria. Vision and fervent passion earned Bob "Taz" Steinhauer the Tasmanian devil nickname. From the vineyards to the scale houses, this nickname stuck as he feverishly led the development of some of California's most notable vineyards. While his legendary career spanned four decades of grape growing in the Napa Valley, it was the rustic spirit of Santa Barbara that stole his heart. Perfect soils and climate led him to this spectacular region to plant vineyards.
"Taz" Steinhauer is considered a pioneer whose unswerving dedication to unlocking the secrets of the Central Coast over the past several years has contributed directly to the rising acclaim for wines from the region. He shared his passion and his insights broadly with local growers, always pushing for higher levels of quality and an approach that allowed each vineyard to evolve to its fullest viticultural expression.
CLW19991_2006 Item# 96606