
Santa Maria Valley Chardonnay (1.5-Liter) 2018
Our Santa Maria Valley Chardonnay is rich and creamy in golden mango, pineapple, yellow peach and honeysuckle flower flavors, with oak barrel aging bringing notes of buttered biscuits and vanilla bean to the palate and finish. The chilly climate and very long growing season allows the grapes to retain a high natural acidity, while the narrow diurnal temperatures of the growing season results in extraordinarily flavorful grapes.
Limited Availability
Acclaim
91 points, Kim Marcus, Wine Spectator, Apr 2020
Open-textured and lush, with toasty accents to the glazed pear and lemon meringue flavors. The buttery finish shows a savory richness that lingers with smoky hints. Drink now through 2024.
Winemaking
8 months in 86% French oak (34% new). Full malolactic secondary fermentation, lees stirred every 2 weeks.
Vineyards
Established in 1981, the Santa Maria Valley AVA is nestled along the California Coast in a rare east-west mountain range, unlike the more common north-south valleys. This creates a giant funnel from the Pacific, ushering a cooling marine influence into the region on an almost daily basis.
Vineyards: 92% Camelot Vineyard, 8% Riverbluff Vineyards
Clones: 100% Clone 4