Chardonnay
2022 Bien Nacido Chardonnay
The Bien Nacido Vineyard in Santa Maria Valley is celebrated for its terroir and the cool Pacific Ocean breezes that funnel through producing wines with pronounced acidity. Our 2022 single-vineyard expression of chardonnay from Block “L” of Bien Nacido is crisp, refreshing and chablis-like with notes of honeysuckle, stone fruit and white peach.
$50
-
A cool spring pushed back bud break by a few weeks coupled with a summer that lacked major heat spikes and storms allowed the grapes to ripen evenly. We harvested the chardonnay at Block “L” in Mid October and it was trucked up to our winery in Sebastopol, pressed to tank and into 25% neutral oak barrels the same day.
-
Pressed to tank and into 100% neutral oak barrels and aged sur lies for 20 months with stirring weekly until January and then monthly until 3 months before bottling, unfined and unfiltered.
-
Golden peach in color with classic garrigue notes and Yerba Buena herbs. Demure aromatics followed by layers of spiced stone fruit and hints of nutmeg and honeydew. On the palate, broad spreading flavors of rich stone fruit and white peach give way to balanced but bright acidity along with hints of umami and mouth watering brightness with jolly rancher on the late palette.
-
Bien Nacido Vineyard, Santa Maria Valley, 13.1% Alcohol by Volume, 45 cases produced, <.03 residual sugar, 3.21 pH, 7.3 g/L TA, winemaker is Greg La Follette.
2022 Lorenzo Chardonnay
Lorenzo Vineyard, made famous by Helen Turley of Marcassin, is located in the Santa Rosa plains of the Russian River Valley was established in 1973 and is one of the oldest chardonnay plantings in the Russian River Valley. It is meticulously farmed by the Bazzano family and renowned for its track record of world-class quality.
$57
-
2022 saw a dry winter and wet spring, resulting in shatter occurring during flowering. This lead to a more open cluster architecture but also bigger berries. Harvest was late, commencing in the last week of September with a smaller-than-average yield but exceptional quality.
-
Whole-cluster pressed and sent directly to barrel without SO2 or settling, the wine was wild ferment vinted on heavy lees and aged “sur lies” for 20 months mostly neutral barrels with stirring weekly until January and then monthly until 3 months before bottling, unfined and unfiltered
-
The 22 Lorenzo is a California classic Chardonnay with a decidedly more Burgundy-driven acidity. This wine is where old world meets new with ripe pear and musk-melon on the nose, the mouth follows with a hedonistic palate and bright citrus and a lively tang of quince.
-
Lorenzo Vineyard, Russian River Valley, 14.2% Alcohol by Volume, 48 cases produced, <.01 residual sugar, 3.32 pH, 6.4 g/L TA, winemaker is Greg La Follette.
2021 Manchester Ridge Chardonnay
Manchester Ridge Vineyard hovers above the fog line at the edge of the rugged Mendocino coast above Point Arena at 2,000 feet elevation. No other vineyard endures what nature throws at it in the way of wind, rain, temperature, and weathered soil. And yet Manchester Ridge’s extremes allow its chardonnay fruit to hang longer, nurturing ripeness and complexity without giving up acidity and freshness. Greg La Follette has coaxed award-winning wines from this vineyard for over a decade and this vintage could be among his best ever.
$57
-
Harvested between the 2nd and 3rd weeks of October, this was our last fruit to come into the winery. The vintage was even and relatively warm, allowing for an uncharacteristic full ripening before the fall rains set in.
-
On the nose the Manchester Ridge exudes aromatics, with orange blossom, perfume and tropical fruit. Caramelized nectarines and white peaches vie for prominence on the lacy palate and are soothed by a soft vanilla kiss. Acidity is crisply self-assured and in balance with high, sea cliff expressions.
-
Manchester Ridge Vineyard, Mendocino Ridge, 14.5% Alcohol by Volume, 47 cases produced, <.01 residual sugar, 3.37 pH, 8.3 g/L TA, winemaker is Greg La Follette.
-
“Produced entirely from the Chardonnay Musque clone growing in the vineyard, it is intensely floral with distinct honeysuckle and orange blossom aromas. Soft and round on the palate with a deep candied citrus fruit core, a honeycomb touch, and a zippy acid finish.” - 90 points
Jonathan Cristaldi, Decanter, Apri 2024
2021 Tritone Cuvée Chardonnay
The “Tritone” is about creating flavorful harmonies that bring together distinct fruit from three counties and integrating them into a unique and magnificent whole. It’s where our winemaking team of Greg La Follette and Evan Damiano work their magic. Mendocino provides 48% with fruit coming from Manchester Ridge at elevation on the coast and Haiku, inland in the Sanel Valley. Sonoma provides 33% with fruit hailing from Black Knight and the venerable Lorenzo Vineyards in Russian River Valley. Last to the blend is Santa Barbara at 19% with fruit from “L” block, the oldest Chardonnay at Bien Nacido Vineyard planted in 1972.
$45
-
The 2021 vintage was quite disparate between the North Bay counties and the Santa Maria Valley of Santa Barbara County. Bien Nacido experienced classic Central Coast moisture in the form of morning fogs that caused water to condense on the grapes, allowing Botrytis to take hold in many of the tightly-packed Chardonnay clusters, forcing an extra level of fruit-sorting during picking and at the winery. Manchester Ridge, at 2,200 ft and above the fog line of the Mendocino coast, experienced very low disease pressure. Black Knight had a relatively early flowering, with cold weather creating very open cluster architecture and ideal conditions for harvest. Haiku and Lorenzo were, as always, the reliable performers we know and love!
-
Golden-straw hues foretell aromas of vanilla-lemon custard, cantaloupe and honeydew. Fruit notes continue with sweet lime, pear and quince framed with just a touch of oak spice. The palate follows the nose, with ripe, almost tropical fruit and an unctuous mouthfeel that carries from start to an extra long finish with great ending viscosity.
-
48% Mendocino, 33% Sonoma and 19% Santa Barbara, 14.7% Alcohol by Volume, 225 cases produced, <.01 residual sugar, 3.38 pH, 6.6 g/L TA, winemaker is Greg La Follette.
-
“Grapes sourced from Mendocino, Sonoma and Santa Barbara come together in this steely Chardonnay. Generous acidity cuts through a smooth-textured mouthfeel. Aromas and flavors are delicate, yet layered and nuanced. Find notes of lemon, lime, cut grass, wet stone, acacia blossom, white nectarine and toast.” - 91 points
Stacy Briscoe, Wine Enthusiast, Dec 2023