Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine & Spirits
From the original S&B block planted in 1971, this is a resolutely savory chardonnay that deserves a few years in bottle. With air, it expands from marine saltiness and toasty lees-driven scents toward fruit that’s powerful, fresh, plump and earthy all at once, flexing its old-vine muscle with a fine balance. You might think of Meursault, though its saline streak and laser-sharp acidity are products of cool ocean breezes rather than limestone.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Even better than the 2012, the 2013 Chardonnay Sanford & Benedict Vineyard spent 15 months in 33% new French oak before being bottled unfiltered in late December of 2014. It has a gorgeous, salty minerality to go with classic lemon curd, melon, chamomile and sweet spice notes on the nose. Medium-bodied, pure, elegant and perfectly balanced, it's a classic Chardonnay that does everything right.
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.