Winemaker Notes
The near perfect, but tinny clusters, were pressed and directly put into French oak barrels (20% new) to ferment. The wine stayed there for 18 months on its lees and was then racked and lightly fined before being bottled unfiltered in March 2021.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2019 Chardonnay Sanford & Benedict Vineyard opens with singular herbal tones reminiscent of sagebrush accenting a core of white peaches and bass tones of beeswax. The full-bodied palate is plush, satiny and seamlessly fresh, with layered flavors and a very long, very detailed finish. Rating: 96+. Best after 2022.
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Wine Enthusiast
Clean lines of lemon oil, lemon verbena and the lightest of toasty wood make for a compellingly cohesive aromatic display on the nose of this bottling. The palate is wrapped in a tremendous grip, with vibrant splashes of citrus oil zipping into flavors of macadamia nut and roasted peach, finishing on crème brûlée. Yet all done with delicate strokes.
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2019 Chardonnay Sanford & Benedict Vineyard is slightly more reserved aromatically, offering an impressive array of spiced orchard fruits intermixed with white flowers, crushed stone, brioche and honeysuckle-like nuances. Medium-bodied on the palate, it has a bright spine of acidity, lots of salinity, good mid-palate depth, and just terrific overall balance as well as length.
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Wine & Spirits
From old vines at the Sta. Rita Hill’s oldest vineyard, Chanin’s chardonnay balances the Sta. Rita Hills’ cool oceanic edge against its slightly warmer inland valleys—cool and sunny, exposed and protected. The flavors range from apple and pear nectar to nutty lees, a hint of oak and a dustiness that broadens the wine. The fruit richness is counterbalanced by a tense acid structure, with plenty of energy and drive.
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.