Winemaker Notes
The 2021 Santa Rita Hills Chardonnay is made from a blend of Clone 4 Chardonnay from vines in the topmost block on the vineyard hillside blended with Wente, 76, 548 fruit from the lower slope and riverside plantings.
Professional Ratings
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2021 Chardonnay Sta. Rita Hills is the first vintage of Chardonnay from Donnachadh. It was barrel fermented and matured for around 10 months. Its aromas combine bright herbal, green apple and pear tones with underlying savory hints. The light-bodied palate is bright and fresh, yet offers a touch of anchoring creaminess that draws out the finish. Proprietor Drew Duncan says that for this vintage, fruit came from the Donnachadh estate, although that may not be the case in the future as this new project really gets up and running.
-
Wine Enthusiast
This brand's new appellation bottling satisfies in both Old and New World ways. Clean, chalky aromas of bright Meyer lemon flesh and pith meet with a briny note on the mineral-laden nose. The palate is wrapped in chiseled-stone tannins, loaded with acidity and yet generous on flavors of white melon, lychee, nectarine and honeysuckle.
-
Wine & Spirits
Smoky and lees scented, this wine has a yellow apple burst of flavor expressed in a juicy expanse and cool linear energy. Just a touch of creaminess on the finish makes it ideal for roast chicken and tortellini.
-
Jeb Dunnuck
The 2021 Chardonnay Estate is light gold-hued with a racy citrus, lemon, chalky mineral, and sappy flower-driven perfume that flows to a medium-bodied, elegant, nicely balanced Chardonnay that will evolve for 7-8 years. It's made in a leaner, vibrant, racy style while staying balanced and thoroughly enjoyable.
-
James Suckling
A good, clean and appetizing wine that's light in body and brisk in acidity. Crisp green apple and lime zest flavors on a crisp, nervy texture.
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.