Winemaker Notes
Varietal purity and sense of place are emphasized here with new world fruit meets old world-like structure. Beautifully aromatic and engaging, with bright and pure aromas of ocean breezes, citrus zest, and almond kernel. Melon and white flower scents follow, leading the way to an inviting taste. Upon the first sip, the richness of flavors is supported by superb natural fruit acidity from the underlying Limestone-rich bedrock. Overall, a vibrant wine whose California accent speaks with hints of old Europe.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Nervy and chalky on the nose with lemon pith and white flowers following through to the palate. A well-defined, zippy yet creamy texture shows energetic momentum, finishing with crushed shells that frame the stone fruit and melon rind.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2024 Chardonnay HMR Estate Vineyard is derived from vines propagated from the estate's original 1972 plant material, and it was fermented and aged in 30% new barriques and puncheons. It leads with a distinctly floral nose, wafting from the glass with exotic aromas of honeysuckle and mandarin supported by woody undertones and honeyed accents. The palate is rich, silky and polished, concluding with a gourmand finish enlivened by citrus tones.
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.
Paso Robles has made a name for itself as a source of supple, powerful, fruit-driven Central Coast wines. But with eleven smaller sub-AVAs, there is actually quite a bit of diversity to be found in this inland portion of California’s Central Coast.
Just east over the Santa Lucia Mountains from the chilly Pacific Ocean, lie the coolest in the region: Adelaida, Templeton Gap and (Paso Robles) Willow Creek Districts, as well as York Mountain AVA and Santa Margarita Ranch. These all experience more ocean fog, wind and precipitation compared to the rest of the Paso sub-appellations. The San Miguel, (Paso Robles) Estrella, (Paso Robles) Geneso, (Paso Robles) Highlands, El Pomar and Creston Districts, along with San Juan Creek, are the hotter, more western appellations of the greater Paso Robles AVA.
This is mostly red wine country, with Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel standing out as the star performers. Other popular varieties include Merlot, Petite Sirah, Petit Verdot, Syrah, Grenache and Rhône blends, both red and white. There is a fairly uniform tendency here towards wines that are unapologetically bold and opulently fruit-driven, albeit with a surprising amount of acidity thanks to the region’s chilly nighttime temperatures.