Winemaker Notes
The 2017 Sanford & Benedict is bright, beautifully layered and nuanced. Meyer lemon, candle wax, and apricot all grace this very savory Chardonnay. Orange marmalade, stone fruits and chamomile work nicely with the rich textures on the palate. To allow the vineyard to shine through, they take a gentle approach in the cellar aging in French Oak barrels (30% new) for 16 months.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Tight aromas of key lime peel, subdued white flowers and a steely minerality show on the nose of this bottling. The palate is wound up and bristling with energy, as its chalky texture carries flavors of light lime, pastry and a hint of oak.
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Jeb Dunnuck
The flagship Chardonnay, the 2017 Chardonnay Sanford & Benedict Estate is from a great site on the southern side of the Sta. Rita Hills and spent 16 months in 30% new French oak. Impressive pineapple and white peach fruits as well as lots of salty minerality and white flower notes emerge from this beauty, which is medium-bodied and has a spine of bright acidity, terrific balance, and a great finish. It's going to be better with another year in bottle and keep for a decade.
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.