Winemaker Notes
Aromas of Meyer lemon, tangerine skin and cover crop. Flavors of baked citrus, key lime and sea salt. The texture is dense and saline.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A very tensile, fresh and mineral-laden wine that's tangy in acidity and has an almost crunchy, lively texture. Made from a singular section of the 3-D vineyard planted with Wente and Mt. Eden clone grapevines. Lemon pith, limestone, crisp green apples. So intense and taut, it is sure to age and improve.
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Wine Spectator
Apricot, peach, marmalade and candied ginger flavors are plump and juicy on an appealingly fleshy texture. Grace notes of Meyer lemon, satsuma tangerine and lemon oil add wonderful layers of complexity. Drink now. 666 cases made.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Tropical-fruited, honeyed, nutty and menthol-tinged on the nose, the 2022 Chardonnay 3D is a voluptuous, powerful expression of the Sta. Rita Hills. The palate is rich and decadent yet manages to retain focus, finishing with immensely flashy ripeness. While this is passionately well-made, I can't help but gravitate toward the more chiseled bottlings in the lineup.
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.