Tasting Notes

Release Date: Fall 2018

Late summer in the Edna Valley is so cool and windy due to a strong ocean influence that the fruit in the vineyards hangs forever, very slowly ripening. This long growing season develops the complexity and length which has kept us producing this Chardonnay since 1985.

The lingering effects of the drought at Wolff Vineyard, our traditional fruit source, reduced their yields. To supplement we purchased additional grapes from a vineyard a half a mile away named Biddle Ranch which was planted in 1990. Combined, they produced an intriguing style of gardenia blossom and citrus notes in the aromas. Full-bodied yet elegant on the palate due to barrel and full malolactic fermentations, this Chardonnay displays a firm acidity, the hallmark of the Edna Valley, which assists in carrying the aftertaste.

Noted wine critic Antonio Galloni (Vinous) states, "This is the best value in California Chardonnay."

Production

7,097

Tech Notes

Yield: 2.0 tons per acre

Harvest: September 7th - October 7th

Numbers @ Harvest: 23.2° Brix, 3.33 pH, 7.2 grams acidity

Barrel Regimen: Mix of French & American Oak--2 to 5 years 100% Barrel Fermented; 100% Malolactic; 100% sur-lie

Bottling: June 2017

Alcohol: 14.0%

Reviews

91 points Wine Enthusiast Magazine - December 2018

This Santa Cruz Mountains based winery has been making a value-driven Edna Valley Chardonnay since 1985, and this one does not disappoint, Pungent aromas of lemon oil and orange pith are rounded by seared white peach, crushed sand and smoke on the nose, while the zesty palate delivers more stone fruit, bright lemon, toasty oak and solid tannic tension. —M.K.

91 points JebDunnuck.com - February 14, 2019

The 2016 Chardonnay Edna Valley is also terrific, with a slightly more layered, textured style and less minerality than the Santa Cruz Mountain Chardonnay. Ripe orchard fruits, some tropical notes, background oak, and a medium-bodied, rich balanced texture all make for a terrific cool climate Chardonnay to drink of the coming 7-8 years.

88 points Antonio Galloni Presents Vinous - August 31, 2018

The 2016 Chardonnay (Edna Valley) is soft, pliant and super-expressive. Apricot, chamomile, hazelnut, vanillin and lightly buttered notes softly contoured in this supple, open-knit Chardonnay. At $23 a bottle, the Edna Valley Chardonnay is a terrific value, although I admit I liked the wine a bit more when it was sourced exclusively from the Wolff Vineyard, as opposed to a blend from several sites. It’s hard to argue with quality at this price. Drink it over the next few years.