Winemaker Notes
Pale yellow hue. This blend of Santa Lucia Highlands Appellation vineyards offers aromas of caramel, ripe fig, and brioche, which are followed by notes of kiwi, grapefruit, and apricot pie. These characters segue into the palate seamlessly and are met with a pleasing, plush texture. This wine finishes gently, with expansiveness, and enduring enjoyment.
Professional Ratings
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Connoisseurs' Guide
Long on sweet, ripe-apple fruit and very much displaying the richness inherent in well-made Chardonnays from the Santa Lucia Highlands, this appellation bottling earns good marks for its fruity volume and its up-front generosity. It is nicely balanced and more supple than firm with well-managed acidity keeping things lively but not stiff or overly taut. This is not a wine that will tire any time soon, but, of the Testarossa contingent it is the one we would opt to drink first.
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James Suckling
Aromas of sliced lemon, cream and sage. Medium-bodied with hints of flint and wet stone. Supple and soft with a bright finish.
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.
Perhaps the most highly regarded appellation within Monterey County, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA benefits from a combination of warm morning sunshine and brisk afternoon breezes, allowing grapes to ripen slowly and fully. The result is concentrated, flavorful wines that retain their natural acidity. Wineries here do not shy away from innovation, and place a high priority on sustainable viticultural practices.
The climatic conditions here are perfectly suited to the production of ripe, rich Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. These Burgundian varieties dominate an overwhelming percentage of plantings, though growers have also found success with Syrah, Riesling and Pinot Gris.