Winemaker Notes
The 2021 Kali Hart Chardonnay is our most fruit-forward expression of cool-climate white wine from our legendary Sleepy Hollow Vineyard and Olson Ranch Vineyard. Layers of ripe stone fruits and toasted vanilla bean rise from the glass, while notes of Honeycrisp apple and melon greet the palate. A full, luscious mouthfeel carries through to a bright, creamy finish underscored by a hint of warming spices and fresh baked brioche.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Aromas of cooked apple, yogurt and shaved pine. Some vanilla. It’s full-bodied with plenty of fruit and wood. The new oak dominates the palate now making it a little old school. But there’s plenty of good fruit underneath. If you want a full-throttle chard, here it is.
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 geographic and climatic paradise for grape vines, Monterey is a part of the greater Central Coast AVA and contains within it five smaller sub-appellations, including Arroyo Seco, San Lucas, San Bernabe, Hames Valley and the famous Santa Lucia Highlands. The climate is relatively warm but tempered by cool, coastal winds, allowing the regions in Monterey County an exceptionally long growing season. Bud break often happens two weeks sooner and harvest tends to be two weeks later compared to other surrounding regions.
Monterey’s coastal side, where the cooling ocean fog allows grapes to develop a perfect sugar-acid balance, excels in the production of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Riesling. Warmer, inland subzones are home to fleshy, concentrated and full-bodied reds like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Zinfandel.
Chardonnay, covering about 40% of vineyard acreage, is the most widely planted grape in all of Monterey County.