Winemaker Notes
The Santa Barbara sets the foundation for how we vinify whites at Presqu’ile. This bright and refreshing wine is loaded with flavors of Meyer lemon, citrus peel, crushed white flowers, and saline. Pair this bottle with cheese boards, creamy pasta dishes, or a variety of grilled fish.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Composed of North Canyon, White Hawk and pressed wine from the Presqu'ile estate, the 2023 Chardonnay is a vibrant overperformer. Powerful aromas of citrus oil and white peach fill in an otherwise bright, focused nose. The palate is deliciously succulent, concluding with a vibrant, pure finish with just enough creamy breadth. It's an impressive introduction to the solid winemaking at Presqu'ile.
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Vinous
The 2023 Chardonnay (Santa Barbara County) is fabulous. Rich and creamy, it offers tons of immediacy. Apricot, chamomile, lemon confit and bright tropical notes all run through this super-expressive Chardonnay. Best of all, this is a superb value.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Brought up six months in neutral French oak and stainless steel, the 2023 Chardonnay Santa Barbara County offers orchard fruits, sautéed apples, spice, and honeyed flower notes with some background oak. Medium-bodied, vibrant, and fresh, it has integrated acidity and is a beautiful Chardonnay as well as a smoking value.
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.