Winemaker Notes
Aromas of gardenia, lime skin. Flavors of white peach, Green tea. The texture is taut and precise.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Crushed sea shells, candied lemon rinds and wafts of petrol greet the nose on this wine by widely respected vintners Greg Brewer and Steve Clifton. The tight and pithy palate shows Key lime and pear flesh but leans toward tropical, with hints of pineapple and guava. It's quite stony at first, then opens toward honey on sourdough toast. Drink 2017–2027.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
As with the Hapgood, the 2012 Chardonnay Acin is the first vintage for this cuvee. Also outstanding, it has a perfumed, tropical style, with notions of white peach, pineapple, mint and salty minerality all flowing nicely to a pure, gorgeously balanced white that has no hard edges, integrated acidity and a terrific finish. Aged all in neutral oak and from sandy loam soils, it will continue to dish out loads of pleasure over the coming 4-5 years.
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.