Winemaker Notes
Are you constantly let down by Chardonnay? Does the thought of ordering it off a menu scare you, for fear you'll end up with a glass of sad, watery something that tastes like it's been left out too long? There's nothing more depressing than a flabby Chardonnay, and it's Riverbench's humble opinion that too many winemakers cover up the gorgeous nuances of this lovely fruit. Before you write off the varietal for good, show this wine some love. Their Estate Chardonnay, which has a true balance between fruit flavors and an appealing buttery note, really is that good.
Enjoy it with gourmet mac and cheese (a hint of bacon would complement the oak nicely!) or grilled trout.
Professional Ratings
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Vinous
The 2022 Chardonnay Estate is a very classy, polished wine. Lemon peel, crushed rocks, mint, slate, sage and chalk all run through this nervy, chiseled Chardonnay. All the elements are very nicely balanced.
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 lesser-known but elite AVA within the larger Santa Barbara district, the Santa Maria Valley AVA runs precisely west to east starting near the coast. The valley funnels cool, Pacific Ocean air to the vineyards more inland, allowing grapes a longer hang time to ripen evenly and achieve their full potential by harvest time. Combined with minimal rainfall, consistent warm sunshine, and well-drained soils, it is an ideal environment for grape growing.
Many of the wineries here are small and highly respected, having established a reputation in the 1970s and 80s for producing excellent Central Coast wines like Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. More recently, Syrah has also proven quite successful in the region. Many vineyards are owned by growers who sell their grapes to other wineries, so it is common to see the same vineyard name on bottlings from different wineries. Bien Nacido Vineyard is perhaps the best-known and most prestigious.