Winemaker Notes
Aromatically the wine has notes of pears, white peaches, quince, as well as white flowers. On the palate, the wine is a weave of florality and stone fruits, intermixed with hints of chalk and acidity.
The La Rinconada Vineyard Chardonnay hails from a small section of rows planted in 1999 on the very bottom of the slope just before land flattens out to on to the deeper alluvial near the Santa Ynez River. The vines are grown ontop a bed of Elder Series shale loam. After harvest, the grapes undergo a long, slow, cold pressing cycle, so light that it borders on free-run. It begins fermentation in stainless steel tanks before being moved down to a mixture of French barrique and puncheons, no more than 15% of which is new, where it goes through full, natural, malolactic on the lees with no battonage. 10 months in barrel before being moved back to tank settle for several months before bottling.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2019 Chardonnay La Rinconada Vineyard is all spice and lemon cream to begin, with undertones of almonds, pastry and jasmine that come through as it airs in the glass. The medium-bodied palate is textural and energetic, its citrus-and-mineral character and tangy acidity underpinned by nutty tones that drive the long finish. It has the freshness, texture and intensity for a long life in the cellar.
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.