Winemaker Notes
Flavors of pear and just ripe apricot come on with a gentle clinging richness but stay light footed thanks to salty acidity from a background streak of lemon. Aromatically it shows what’s becoming classic Puerta Del Mar chalkiness, laced with lemongrass, fruit blossoms and vanilla that will pull your attention into the glass.
Pairs well with sashimi and crudos.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2017 Chardonnay Puerta Del Mar Vineyard is a more pretty, elegant white and has plenty of salty minerality as well as notes of lemon, crushed citrus, and white flowers. It shines for its purity of fruit, is medium-bodied, beautifully balanced, and has a crisp finish.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2017 Chardonnay Puerta del Mar is shy on the nose to begin, fleshing out to aromas of baker's yeast, red apple, dried acacia, clover honey, hay and crushed stone. The palate is medium-bodied and savory in character, with lively acidity to lift and a long, savory finish. 461 cases produced.
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.
With a dry and mild climate cooled significantly by moist ocean fog and breezes, Santa Barbara County is a grape-grower’s dream. Part of the larger Central Coast appellation, Santa Barbara is home to Santa Maria Valley and Santa Ynez Valley. The conditions here provide an opportunity for nearly effortless production of high-quality cool-climate Central Coast wines. This is also the site of the 2004 film Sideways, which caused Pinot Noir’s popularity to skyrocket and brought new acclaim to the region.
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are the stars of Santa Barbara, producing wines marked by racy acidity. Crisp Sauvignon Blanc and savory Syrah are also important. The region is home to many young and enthusiastic winemakers eager to experiment with less common varieties including Chenin Blanc, Grüner Veltliner, Trousseau Gris, Gamay and Cabernet Franc, making it an exciting area to watch.