Winemaker Notes
The wine displays both the power of the favorable position of the vineyard and the finesse of Santa Rita Hills Chardonnay grown in these mineral-laden soils. Lemon curd, chamomile teaand oyster shell are carried by an alluring texture on the mid palate. Thewine finishes with delightful tension and freshness.
Professional Ratings
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Decanter
Tyler Winery’s La Rinconada Chardonnay is a golden powerhouse in 2017. Dense aromas of French toast, baked apples, and hazelnuts. The palate is muscular and taught with impressive length on the finish. Very much open for business and highly recommended. This site is both the literal and figurative other-side-of-the-coin from the neighbouring Sanford & Benedict Vineyard, where the wines tend to be more high-toned and lifted.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2017 Chardonnay La Rinconada Vineyard opens with restrained aromas of citrus blossom, quince, Bosc pear, white peaches and lime peel with crushed shell, saline and white pepper accents. Light to medium-bodied, it's tensile and chalky in the mouth, fleshing out to floral-tinged stone fruits, with tangy acidity and a long, precise finish. Rating: 92+
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.