Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Very light and bright, this bottling from one of the appellation’s northernmost and coolest sites shows honeysuckle and more white flowers on the subtle, delicate and yet inviting nose. There’s a vibrant tension on the sip, where chalky white-rock flavors dance with lemon zest for a laser-sharp expression.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: Some of my knocks on New World Chardonnays are their excessive use of oak, residual sugar, and high alcohol. Fortunately Ian Brand takes the road others do not want to travel. The 2017 I. Brand & Family Chardonnay, from the Escolle Vineyard, is bright, sassy, and real. Its aromas and flavors of mineral, tart citrus, and green apple should pair it superbly with raw tuna belly sashimi (and don't dip the tuna in soy). (Tasted: March 19, 2019, San Francisco, CA)
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.