Winemaker Notes
Upon arriving at the winery, the grapes were whole-cluster pressed. After pressing, the juice was cold tank fermented, retaining the essential bright fruit and mineral characters. The wine was not allowed to go through a secondary malo-lactic fermentation.Metallico’s aromatics are intense with white peach, lemon balm, and jasmine. The palate has ripe fruit flavors of citrus and stone fruits. Crisp, food-friendly acidity keeps this wine refreshing and bright. It’s a perfect accompaniment to shellfish and lighter summertime fare.
Professional Ratings
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: Over the last decade, wineries have rushed fruit-forward, no-oak Chardonnays, and many of those wines have not hit the mark. Morgan Winery is one of the exceptions and has produced some of the best wines in this genre. The 2018 Metallico Un-oaked Chardonnay is a shining star. TASTING NOTES: This wine is brimming with mineral, tart apple, and excellent brightness. Pair it with a dozen freshly-shucked raw oysters. (Tasted: August 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.
A geographic and climatic paradise for grape vines, Monterey is a part of the greater Central Coast AVA and contains within it five smaller sub-appellations, including Arroyo Seco, San Lucas, San Bernabe, Hames Valley and the famous Santa Lucia Highlands. The climate is relatively warm but tempered by cool, coastal winds, allowing the regions in Monterey County an exceptionally long growing season. Bud break often happens two weeks sooner and harvest tends to be two weeks later compared to other surrounding regions.
Monterey’s coastal side, where the cooling ocean fog allows grapes to develop a perfect sugar-acid balance, excels in the production of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Riesling. Warmer, inland subzones are home to fleshy, concentrated and full-bodied reds like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Zinfandel.
Chardonnay, covering about 40% of vineyard acreage, is the most widely planted grape in all of Monterey County.