Winemaker Notes
Aromas of citrus, toffee, and baking spices are followed on the palate by flavors of tangerine, lemon, and hints of caramel. The Double L Chardonnay will pair wonderfully with ricotta-stuffed squash blossoms or scallops with garlic butter.
Professional Ratings
-
James Suckling
Aromas of lemon pith, pastry, oyster shells and macadamia nuts. The palate is medium-bodied with a laser-like acidity and creamy mouthfeel, giving notes of lime curd, orange peel and grapefruit. Very tightly wound, with underlying power.
-
Jeb Dunnuck
Entirely sourced from the producer's longstanding certified-organic estate, owner/winemaker Dan Lee ferments the separate clones of Chardonnay separately for the 2022 Chardonnay Double L, creating a lot selection that changes every year. The wine reflects its opulent vintage of warmth and dry conditions, showing concentrated flavors of toffee and baked apple buoyed by nice underlying acidity. Medium-bodied, it has balance and well-integrated oak, the oak adding hints of baking spice and toast.
-
Vinous
The 2022 Chardonnay Double L Vineyard is ripe and round, leading off with a dusting of baking spice that seasons its freshly sliced pear and apple fruit. A little shy aromatically, it makes up for it on the palate, coasting through the mouth with a nicely measured phenolic grip and a kick of salted lemon. The finish is round and tender, with an attractive French oak sweetness hanging around after the close.
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.