Winemaker Notes
Notes of lemon-lime and apricot are on the front of this Chardonnay in both nose and taste, complemented by a subtle savory undertone. Hints of coriander and nutty lemon grass add
nuance, while its crisp acidity and mineral backbone balance a touch of creaminess from the François Frères French oak. Delicate notes of baked challah and caramel lend complexity and richness. Vibrant and balanced now, this wine will continue to evolve beautifully over the next 10–20 years.
Pair this chardonnay with dishes that have a light base but a bold twist. Try dishes like miso-glazed halibut, cornish game hen served with an apricot reduction, or lemon-ricotta tagliatelle.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2022 Chardonnay Nuits-Blanches Au Bouge is 100% Chardonnay that was aged 18 months in 100% new French oak. Slightly more perfumed and exotic, it offers notes of lemon curd, honeyed flowers, and orange blossom. Medium-bodied on the palate, with a pure, focused, and racy mouthfeel, it delivers nicely integrated oak and outstanding length. This is another impressive Chardonnay from this team. Drink 2025-2035.
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James Suckling
Plush texture is seamed with crunchy minerals. This threads the needle between ripe preserved lemons and apple fritters with vivid acidity and lime blossoms. Lingering. Drink or hold.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A barrel-selection blend based around Bien Nacido, the 2022 Chardonnay Nuits-Blanches au Bouge deftly balances a full-throttled core with equal measure of drive and vibrancy. Opening with a lifted bouquet of fennel, pastry cream and macadamia nuts with a stone-fruited core, the palate is broad and punchy before concluding with a sappy, pure and saline finish.
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Vinous
The 2022 Chardonnay Nuits-Blanches au Bouge is zippy and lively, with a notable spine of propulsive acids and mouthwatering salinity. There's also ample weight and suppleness to counter that vibrancy. Toasted hazelnut, bread dough, chamomile and yellow apple broaden in the glass, but this one keeps skipping along, framed on the finish by tight phenolics and palpable grip.
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 lesser-known but elite AVA within the larger Santa Barbara district, the Santa Maria Valley AVA runs precisely west to east starting near the coast. The valley funnels cool, Pacific Ocean air to the vineyards more inland, allowing grapes a longer hang time to ripen evenly and achieve their full potential by harvest time. Combined with minimal rainfall, consistent warm sunshine, and well-drained soils, it is an ideal environment for grape growing.
Many of the wineries here are small and highly respected, having established a reputation in the 1970s and 80s for producing excellent Central Coast wines like Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. More recently, Syrah has also proven quite successful in the region. Many vineyards are owned by growers who sell their grapes to other wineries, so it is common to see the same vineyard name on bottlings from different wineries. Bien Nacido Vineyard is perhaps the best-known and most prestigious.