Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Delicate and yet laser-focused on the nose, this tremendous bottling from a historic property offers wet chalk and exotic lime aromas. There is a great grip to the tense palate, where a chalky texture delivers flavors of toast, white peach and a light brush of butter. It's clean and crisp yet consequential.
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Tasting Panel
The aromas of lanolin and vanilla wafers grab you and hold you, urging on to a tightrope of acidity that stretches across the mouth, teetering on edgy. Crispy and vibrant with flavors of dried sage, cashew, and lime. Brioche notes lengthen the finish
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2017 Chardonnay Bien Nacido Vineyard comes from own rooted, 45-year-old vines planted in shale. It's youthfully coiled and very minerally on the nose, with just-ripe aromas of quince, Bosc pear, citrus blossom, baker's yeast and saline plus hazelnut and toasty notions. Medium-bodied, it has a slightly rounded texture, intense fruits and great minerality, supported by tangy acidity and finishing long and textured.
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2017 Chardonnay Santa Maria Valley is a racy, juicy effort that has loads of salted citrus, grapefruit, and white flower aromas and flavors. With medium body, good acidity, and a clean, balanced style, this racy effort is going to put on weight over the next year or two and keep for upwards of a decade.
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Wine & Spirits
From vines planted on sandy shale soils in 1973, this racy chardonnay is a study in tartness, with notes of lemon-spritzed green apple and green almonds, laser-like acids and an assertive, lean texture. It should age well, though it’s also delicious now, with mussels.
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Wine Spectator
Smoky richness envelops the well-structured pear, apple and ripe tangerine flavors, backed by crisp acidity. Jasmine and honeysuckle notes show on the finish. Drink now through 2024.
Bien Nacido Vineyard, one of Santa Maria Valley’s first and most renowned cool-climate vineyards, has been a celebrated source of world-class grapes and estate wines since its founding by 4th generation farming brothers Bob and Steve Miller. The vineyard’s name, meaning "Well Born" in Spanish, reflects its deep historical roots, having been planted on the historic Rancho Tepusquet land grant. The Miller’s planted the first 300 acres of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in 1973, capitalizing on the region's unique geography, climate, and meticulously farmed, sustainable vineyards. These ideal conditions have made Bien Nacido Estate Vineyards synonymous with distinctive and expressive wines.
Widely acclaimed, Bien Nacido has been recognized as one of the top 20 terroirs in the world by Wine Spectator and named by Wine Enthusiast as one of the 10 vineyards behind the world’s most famous wines. Known for its cool-climate Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Syrah, the vineyard continues to thrive thanks to its remarkable terroir and a dedicated team that upholds its legacy of excellence with each passing vintage.
Looking ahead, the fifth generation of the Miller family is carrying this legacy forward, shaping the future of Bien Nacido with the same passion and commitment to quality. In 2005, they introduced the Bien Nacido Estate brand—a true reflection of their enduring dedication to farming and winemaking at this world-renowned vineyard. Each vintage is an opportunity to showcase the vineyard’s unique identity, offering a pure expression of the land that has defined Bien Nacido for generations.
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.