Sta. Rita Hills Chardonnay

Medium lemon color with aromas of stone and citrus fruits and sweet nutty notes, adding a leesy touch. On the palate flavors of apple, melon and pear with lemon citrus, vanilla and toasty oak, slight creamy texture. Medium+ finish, lively acidity, ending with fruit, nuts, toasty oak and savory lemon Chablis character.

Medium lemon color with aromas of stone and citrus fruits and sweet nutty notes, adding a leesy touch. On the palate flavors of apple, melon and pear with lemon citrus, vanilla and toasty oak, slight creamy texture. Medium+ finish, lively acidity, ending with fruit, nuts, toasty oak and savory lemon Chablis character.

Medium lemon color with aromas of stone and citrus fruits and sweet nutty notes, adding a leesy touch. On the palate flavors of apple, melon and pear with lemon citrus, vanilla and toasty oak, slight creamy texture. Medium+ finish, lively acidity, ending with fruit, nuts, toasty oak and savory lemon Chablis character.

Majorly reduced and thin on the palate. Very disappointed.

Pretty good stuff here. More depth and structure than the 2013 version I tried a few years ago.

Look, I know people dig this style, but it’s just not what I look for in Chardonnay. No doubt on the lees, very creamy with an intense texture. Getting that buttery vibe. I’m an outlier, but just not my thing.

Light golden hue. Aromas of lemon peel, lees, white flowers, chalk, and a bit of smoke. With good acidity and absence of prominent new oak, it leans more to the Burgundian end of the spectrum than California. Made from a blend of fruit from Rita’s Crown and Bentrock Vineyards aged in 500 L barrels. 13% ABV.

This completely over delivers. Would have guessed a Faiveley Mercurey Blanc blind. The nose shows apple, tons of stony minerals, salt air and jasmine. The palate is lit up with perfect acidity; carrying all those same flavors along with some crushed rocks, tangerine, and fresh made caramel. 2014 is the best vintage of this yet. I want to lay it down a few years, but can’t resist drinking it now.

This is clearly intended to portray a Burgundian profile. And it largely succeeds. The Chablis-like nose has wet stony earth and apply fruit. Crisp acids. Minerally flavors. The problem — and this is a problem I see whenever someone in a region with abundant sunshine actively tries to rein in the ripeness by picking early — is that by picking before the time when nature gives you the ripeness IT wants, the wines somehow lack depth and feel a little “clipped.” So, in sum, I like this, but it lacks the depth to be profound.

Delicious Chardonnay craving more time in bottle. Structured and textured. Round citrus fruit that’s restrained yet weighty. Long finish of clean lemon and orange peel and oh so faintly creamy.