Winemaker Notes
Lemon meringue, green pineapple and white flower on the nose. The palate is firm and spicy, with papaya, lime and yuzu. The
mouthfeel is powerful and focused.
Professional Ratings
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Vinous
The 2019 Chardonnay Gnesa Vineyard is bright, focused and full of energy. Lemon peel, white flowers, chalk and chamomile lend notable vibrancy to this complex, multidimensional Chardonnay. All the elements are so well balanced.
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Wine Enthusiast
Ripe honeydew, guava and light coconut-flake aromas make for a very broad and open nose for this stainless bottling from own-rooted vines. The palate is more tense in structure, with citrus-juice flavors cutting into the tropical guava notes.
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.