Winemaker Notes
Critical Acclaim
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Starting with the 2017 Chardonnay Sta. Rita Hills Estate, it comes from the Sanford & Benedict and La Rinconada Vineyards and was aged in 20% new French oak. It offers a terrific bouquet of stone fruits, melon, honeysuckle, and spice, with just a hint of salty minerality. It's medium-bodied, has a balanced, elegant style, nicely integrated acidity, and is as classy Chardonnay. It should also evolve nicely for 4-5 years.
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.
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.