Winemaker Notes
Blend of Chardonnay blocks from Bien Nacido and Dierbergin Santa Maria Valley along with pieces from Santa Rita Hills. The wine sees less than 10% new wood and the wine is left to rest on its lees for about a year before it is moved to tank for the last few months.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2017 Chardonnay opens with notions of gunflint, toast and crushed shell with layers of Bosc pear, lemon pith, green apple, white peaches and white blossoms. The light to medium-bodied palate offers fresh, pure, mineral-driven flavors in the mouth with juicy acidity and a long, lively, gently textured finish. 2,500 cases produced.
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.
With a dry and mild climate cooled significantly by moist ocean fog and breezes, Santa Barbara County is a grape-grower’s dream. Part of the larger Central Coast appellation, Santa Barbara is home to Santa Maria Valley and Santa Ynez Valley. The conditions here provide an opportunity for nearly effortless production of high-quality cool-climate Central Coast wines. This is also the site of the 2004 film Sideways, which caused Pinot Noir’s popularity to skyrocket and brought new acclaim to the region.
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are the stars of Santa Barbara, producing wines marked by racy acidity. Crisp Sauvignon Blanc and savory Syrah are also important. The region is home to many young and enthusiastic winemakers eager to experiment with less common varieties including Chenin Blanc, Grüner Veltliner, Trousseau Gris, Gamay and Cabernet Franc, making it an exciting area to watch.