As our fans know (and the rest of the world is finding out) Sta. Rita Hills is truly one of the top places anywhere to grow Chardonnay grapes. The ocean influence moderates the abundant sunshine, allowing perfect ripeness at ideal acidity levels. Further, marine-based soils and sea air provide mineral and saline aromas and flavors. Wines from here tend to have tremendous exuberance, but also impeccable balance, complexity and longevity. That said, it is the top growers that really produce knockout grapes. And, we have three of the absolute best sites represented here in these wines: Rita’s Crown, Bentrock & Radian. It is a joy to work with these great growers and inspiring sites.
2022 Chardonnay, Rita’s Crown Vineyard (Sta. Rita Hills)
**WINE CLUB Wine – Spring 2025
Rita’s Crown sits majestically at some of the highest elevations in the Sta. Rita Hills (up to 850 feet). It has been expertly farmed (certified organic, with some biodynamic principles) for several years by the exacting Sea Smoke team, led by our old friend Julian Malone. Our blocks are located on very steep, south and southwest facing hillsides of clay and silty clay loam with abundant diatomaceous earth. The mighty pacific sends daily fog and intense afternoon winds to this high elevation site, which is perched over the Santa Ynez River as it meanders toward its terminus at Surf Beach.
The Chardonnay in this block typically produces very low yields from a small canopy. In 2022 yields were a miniscule 1.67-1.85 tons per acre. These lower yields and a long cool season result in ripeness at incredibly strong acid levels. In 2022 the final, post full malolactic fermentation pH was 3.36, with TA of 6.4. These are almost identical to the 2021 wine, which was wildly successful. We think the 2022 is very much in the same mold.
The 2022 wine fermented by native yeasts in top quality French oak barrels, 44% new. The resulting wine went through native malolactic fermentation in barrel and was aged for 18 months on its lees, without stirring, before selection, blending and bottling.
Scores have not yet been published, but we expect similar critical acclaim as the 2021 wines enjoyed last year (95-100 points from various critics). Antonio Galloni was particularly excited, posting this to Instagram:
Extremely Limited: Only 200 Cases Produced.
2022 Chardonnay, Radian Vineyard (Sta. Rita Hills)
Radian vineyard is located at the far western edge of the Sta. Rita Hills on dramatically steep slopes with large amounts of diatomaceous earth. Lovingly farmed by the team at the Hilt/Jonata led by Matt Dees and the grape wisperer himself, Ruben Solarzano, the vineyard is a testatment to vision, courage and perserverence. Radian is wild & wooly, regularly blanketed by fog and buffeted by high, often gale force winds. The Chardonnay vines here struggle to set fruit, and the resulting grapes extremely low yielding, with thick skins, highly concentrated flavors and relatively low sugars. The resulting wines are lean and intense, with a powerful sense of minerals, incisive acidity, and tremendous length.
Our block of Chardonnay (34B) faces directly west, facing the mighty, powerful Pacific Ocean on a steep hill (cliff?) at about 400 feet elevation. With a direct path, the winds batter this site most of the day each day, save for the early morning hours. We are amazed that vines can live on these steep foreboding hillsides. Mostly there is only chaparral and poison oak up here!
In 2022 yields were sufficient to allow us to bottle a small run of 50 cases (and to provide grapes for the Black Label Chardonnay). The 2022 wine was barrel-fermented by native yeasts in top quality French oak barrels, 50% of which was once-used. The resulting wine went through full native malolactic fermentation in barrel and was aged for 16 months on its lees, without stirring, before selection, blending and bottling. The wine is racy, mineral driven and incredibly long. We love it, and we can only hope that this crazy block of vines will keep producing in future years.
Extremely Limited. Only 50 Cases Produced.
2022 Chardonnay, Black Label (Sta. Rita Hills)
This wine is a reserve-level blend of our favorite barrels from the vintage. In 2022, the Black Label is comprised of grapes from three of the most extreme, wind-battered, sites in Sta Rita Hills (or anywhere for that matter): rocky, windswept Bentrock (50%), salty, windy Radian (33%) and steep, diatomaceous Rita’s Crown (17%). These difficult sites produce small clusters of thick skinned, tiny berry Chardonnay that has massive concentration, but also very high acids and a resounding mineral streak. The 2022 wine was fermented and aged on its lees in French oak barriques (83% new) with malolactic fermentation occurring spontaneously in barrel, and a finished pH of 3.36, with a TA of 6.0 g/L. The intensity of the wine marries perfectly with the very high quality, 30+ month air dried, medium long toasted flagship barrels from such renowned coopers as Rousseau, Damy & Seguin Moreau. The resulting wine is aged for 18 months on its lees without stirring, before selection, blending and bottling.
This wine is immediate and dramatic, displaying deep, concentrated aromas and flavors of ripe yellow fruits, with intense chalk and graphite minerals, baking spices and white and yellow flowers. On the palate the wine is rich and incredibly powerful albeit in a medium-bodied frame. The wine has spectacular structure, with ripe, mouthwatering, citrus influenced acidity and the corseting effect of beautifully integrated, gently toasted new oak. The wine has a terrific, complex finish that lasts for minutes and portends a fantastic future.
Not yet Rated, the 2021 version was given 100 points by Decanter, 97 points Jeb Dunnuck, and 95+ points Galloni. Extremely Limited – Only 150 cases produced.
