Winemaker Notes
Our entry level appellation chardonnay comes from several fantastic vineyard sites offering great depth and layers of distinct aromatics which lift from the glass with white flowers, citrus blossom, crisp pear, and hints of green mango. The wine has a beautiful palate presence with vibrant acidity, tension, salinity, and minerality framed by hints of oak providing notes of vanilla bean and hazelnut. Aged for 15 months on fine lees in 100% French oak barrels, 30% new.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2018 Chardonnay Santa Barbara County has an intense core of baked peach and quince on the nose with tones of flint, roasted almonds, mushroom and dried jasmine. The light-bodied palate is silky and refreshing, offering more restrained fruit than the nose would lead you to believe. It has focused, energetic acidity and a long, spicy finish. Open it a couple of hours before serving to allow some of that flinty character to unwind and reveal its core of savory fruit.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Another racy, borderline tart white is the 2018 Chardonnay Santa Barbara County, which is going to need 2-3 years to chill out and build some richness and texture. Caramelized lemon, herbs, toasted bread, and brioche notes define the nose, and this would unquestionably be better with less acid and more fruit. Rating: 90+
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.
With a dry and mild climate cooled significantly by moist ocean fog and breezes, Santa Barbara County is a grape-grower’s dream. Part of the larger Central Coast appellation, Santa Barbara is home to Santa Maria Valley and Santa Ynez Valley. The conditions here provide an opportunity for nearly effortless production of high-quality cool-climate Central Coast wines. This is also the site of the 2004 film Sideways, which caused Pinot Noir’s popularity to skyrocket and brought new acclaim to the region.
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are the stars of Santa Barbara, producing wines marked by racy acidity. Crisp Sauvignon Blanc and savory Syrah are also important. The region is home to many young and enthusiastic winemakers eager to experiment with less common varieties including Chenin Blanc, Grüner Veltliner, Trousseau Gris, Gamay and Cabernet Franc, making it an exciting area to watch.