Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Aromas of citrus peel, lime pith and crushed sea shell show on the tightly wound nose of this bottling. The palate is also quite taut, combining chalk and lime peel into a brisk expression, with boundless energy lurking just below the surface. Drink 2021–2038.
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Wine & Spirits
At once spicy and bright, this chardonnay shows how well oak can complement the chill, crisp Sta. Rita Hills fruit character. The wine smells of lees and white flower petals, of caramel and lime pith, the net effect tense, citrusy, fulsome and layered.
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2018 Chardonnay Ashley's comes from a vineyard in the Sta. Rita Hills and was brought up in one-third new French oak. It has classic Sta. Rita Hills minerality and spice as well as notes of nectarines, spiced orchard fruits, salty minerality, and a kiss of iodine. Medium-bodied, elegant, and balanced on the palate, it should keep nicely for 4-5 years, if not longer.
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Wine Spectator
Well-structured, with ripe apple, pear tart and dried mango flavors, backed by vibrant acidity. Hints of cinnamon bark show midpalate, revealing a languid, spicy finish.
Established in 1989, Fess Parker Winery is a multi-generational family owned and operated winery that has a rich heritage in Santa Barbara County. Fess Parker produces premium, small-lot, vineyard designated Burgundian varietals from the Sta. Rita Hills and Santa Maria Valley as well as Rhône varietals from their organically farmed, SIP Certified estate vineyard.
Outstanding fruit sources, including some of the finest vineyards in the county, coupled with skilled winemaking, led by Blair Fox, form the foundation for the winery’s success. Now three generations in, the Fess Parker Family is proud to carry on Fess’s legacy of wine heritage and hospitality in Santa Barbara.
Fess Parker Winery was proud to be named a Top 100 Winery in the World by Wine & Spirits Magazine in both 2022 and 2023.
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.