Winemaker Notes
The Wenzlau Vineyard Chardonnay holding is farmed by the Racines team using organic practices. Wenzlau Vineyard sits surrounded by Rita’s Crown, Mt. Carmel, and Sea Smoke Vineyards, on a steep, dramatic hillside just above the Santa Ynez River and across from the famed Sanford & Benedict Vineyard.
Professional Ratings
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Vinous
The 2022 Chardonnay Wenzlau Family Vineyard is fabulous. Bright, nervy and intensely saline, the Wenzlau Chardonnay captures the essence of this exposed, windy site. White pepper, slate, crushed rocks, oyster shell, grapefruit and lemon all build as the 2022 shows off its personality. Sculpted saline notes extend the finish effortlessly.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Bright citrus, honeysuckle, spice, crushed stone, and subtle tropical nuances all define the 2022 Chardonnay Wenzlau Family Vineyard, which was aged 11 months in 20% new French oak. It's medium-bodied, bright, focused, and chiseled on the palate, with vibrant yet nicely integrated acidity. I love its overall balance, purity, and length, and it should age for a decade with ease.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Always one of the rounder whites in the range, the 2022 Chardonnay Wenzlau Vineyard leads with candle wax, red apple skin and hazelnut aromas. The palate is a beautiful combination of glossy and tensile, culminating in a layered, slow-moving finish that lingers with orchard fruit and saline-driven accents. This is an immediate and texturally pleasing expression of Sta. Rita Hills 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.