Winemaker Notes
Pale straw and limpid in the glass, this wine is just as clear, and classic, an example of Sta. Rita Hills Chardonnay. Green fruits of Bartlett pear and honeydew meet mock orange and a subtle creaminess and spice to deliver a juicy, acid-driven wine of finesse, texture and minerality. Lees influence only enhances this well-rounded profile.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A vivid, racy and well-balanced wine with great acidity and vibrant citrus, crisp pear and apple flavors on a silky texture. So light-bodied, elegant and linear in character.
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Wine Enthusiast
This bottling offers a more affordable and widely available means of sampling what this brand is doing. Mineral-driven aromas of sandstone and damp earth meet with lemon peel and crisp apple on the nose. The palate is extremely grippy in texture, showing citrus, melon and appetizing sea salt flavors.
Editors' Choice -
Wine Spectator
Opens with a mouthwatering mix of Meyer lemon, pomelo, freshly grated ginger, Honeycrisp apple and green tea flavors. Hints of toasted herbs, sea salt and orange zest linger on the finish.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Sourced from selections planted at Domaine de la Côte, the 2022 Chardonnay Sta. Rita Hills is more floral than saline on the nose, introducing a focused, laser-like palate whose precision overdelivers for a regional wine. It finishes with a lovely textural richness framed with an oceanic lift, making for a charming and accurate showing of the Sta. Rita Hills.
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.