Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
If freshness is the challenge, this very light yet vibrant bottling by Chad Melville is a champion. Aromas of pear flesh and lime blossom lead into a sip that dances across the tongue with flavors of Asian pear, white melon and lemon juice, finishing with a hint of intriguing ash. The wine still zips days later.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Brought up in stainless steel, the 2016 Chardonnay Clone 76 Inox sports a light gold color as well crisp, clean notes of citrus blossom, lots of salty minerality, and white flower notes. Medium-bodied, fresh and crisp on the palate, it has terrific acidity and is an outstanding Chardonnay.
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.