Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2012 Chardonnay 3D is about as classic as they come, offering perfumed notes of white flowers, apple blossom, citrus, and brioche, medium to full body, a beautiful sense of purity and elegance, and a great finish. Drink bottles any time over the coming decade.
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Wine Enthusiast
This esteemed winery's annual bubbly is crafted much like its still Chardonnays, showing focused aromas of chalk, lemon zest and a telltale brie cheese rind dairy element. It's very yeasty and slightly sour on the mouthwateringly sharp palate, with squeezed limes, lemon pith and underripe kumquat flavors.
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.