Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2015 Chardonnay Sta. Rita Hills checks in as a blend of the 3D, Acin and Machado Vineyards, and it’s brought up identically to the single vineyards. In addition, there’s really no barrel selection made, so don’t think of this cuvee as a second wine. Like the Hapgood, it’s a seriously rich, unctuous beauty that offers notes of buttered citrus rind, candied lemons, honeycomb and hints of minerality. Deep, rich and thrillingly textured, it’s certainly the smart value play of the lineup as it’s half the price, but more than half the wine.
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Wine Spectator
Refined and powerful, with concentrated flavors of green apple, ripe citrus and mineral that are deftly supported by fresh acidity. Hints of dried savory herbs show on the finish. Drink now through 2022.
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Wine Enthusiast
Seared lemon peels, densely packed honeysuckle, Brie rind and white-ash aromas show on the nose of this appellation blend from the regional superstars, which recently became part of the Jackson Family of wines. The palate is tightly wound with grapefruit pith and a lemon spray-laced acidity that provides ample structure, carrying the slightest bit of riper stone fruit at the core.
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.