Winemaker Notes
The 2023 SLH Chardonnay is expressive and fruit forward. It opens with lemon cream and citrus with a beautiful streak of minerality. CRU Winery'S winemaker chose to age this wine in 100% French oak barrels, 15% new, to create a smooth and creamy mouthfeel. Flavors of Meyer lemon, pineapple and honeydew are balanced by a hint of toasty oak. The finish is long and creamy yet beautifully balanced with fresh acidity.
This wine is an ideal pairing for a variety of foods. We recommend pairing it with grilled salmon or chicken.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Warm butter, honey, hazelnuts and fresh biscuits lend richness to this chardonnay. Caramelized pineapple, papayas, cinnamon, toast, vanilla and baked apples on a weighty yet lively frame.
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.
Perhaps the most highly regarded appellation within Monterey County, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA benefits from a combination of warm morning sunshine and brisk afternoon breezes, allowing grapes to ripen slowly and fully. The result is concentrated, flavorful wines that retain their natural acidity. Wineries here do not shy away from innovation, and place a high priority on sustainable viticultural practices.
The climatic conditions here are perfectly suited to the production of ripe, rich Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. These Burgundian varieties dominate an overwhelming percentage of plantings, though growers have also found success with Syrah, Riesling and Pinot Gris.