Winemaker Notes
Crafted using grapes from a handful of the finest Central Coast vineyards, this captivating cool-climate Chardonnay reveals beautiful ripe peach aromas, as well as layers of Meyer lemon, cedar, orange zest and fresh alfalfa. The vibrant citrus and stone fruit notes are echoed on the palate, where they are framed by bright acidity and a silky texture that carries the flavors to a long, impeccably balanced finish.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
The structure on this wine, which comes from vines planted in 1984, keeps it tight and stony after many days of being opened, indicating longevity in the cellar. Aromas of lemon sauce, crusty brioche and flinty rocks on the nose lead into a tense palate of orange peel and wet stone.
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.
The largest and perhaps most varied of California’s wine-growing regions, the Central Coast produces a good majority of the state's wine. This vast California wine district stretches from San Francisco all the way to Santa Barbara along the coast, and reaches inland nearly all the way to the Central Valley.
Encompassing an extremely diverse array of climates, soil types and wine styles, it contains many smaller sub-AVAs, including San Francisco Bay, Monterey, the Santa Cruz Mountains, Paso Robles, Edna Valley, Santa Ynez Valley and Santa Maria Valley.
While the Central Coast California wine region could probably support almost any major grape varietiy, it is famous for a few Central Coast reds and whites. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel are among the major ones. The Central Coast is home to many of the state's small, artisanal wineries crafting unique, high-quality wines, as well as larger producers also making exceptional wines.