We are thrilled to release the new vintage of Chardonnays from 2024, another spectacular vintage in the SRH!

NB: For Wine Club Members: The 2024 Chardonnay Rita’s Crown will be a wine club wine (Spring 2027 Shipment). Only a small amount will be available for purchase now. Of course, joining the Wine Club guarantees access to this special wine.

Introduction to the Chardonnay Program
As you know, it has been our mission for 20+ years to seek out the best grapes in Santa Barbara County to make the finest wines possible. Chardonnay, particularly from the cooler portions of Sta. Rita Hills, is undeniably world class, and we had no choice but to find the best growers and sites for our Chardonnay program. All sites are expertly farmed for low yields and high quality.

Winemaking is classically Burgundian. The grapes are whole cluster pressed, settled overnight, and then transferred to 100% French oak, a portion of which (33% or so) is new. Primary fermentation occurs by native yeasts. At dryness, the barrels are topped up, and the wine is held on its lees from 15-20 months, where malolactic fermentation is allowed to spontaneously commence, and in most years finish.

As with Pinot Noirs, at roughly 12 months, we make our qualitative and stylistic selections, blending for complexity, personality and dynamism. Some lots show the distinct terroir character needed for single vineyard wines, some are excellent components for the Sta. Rita Hills appellation wine, and a few lucky barrels are selected for our tete de cuvee, the Black Label Chardonnay. Wines are blended, gently fined and cold stabilized, then given a super gentle cross flow filtration immediately before bottling.

The 2024 growing season in the Sta. Rita Hills was defined by a cool and mild winter with very little rainfall, leading to an early budbreak, very low yields and measured shoot growth. Spring was cool and windy, and summer was also cool, particularly July, where highs rarely exceeded 75 degrees. A little late August heat helped push things along, but even then, there were cool evenings. September was mild too, until the end of the month when some heat arrived. The more central portions of the SRH were ready by mid-September, while the western portions (Radian, Bentrock) hung until early and even mid-October.  Low yields and small berries brought concentration without excess weight, while steady maritime influence preserved acidity and structure. The 2024 wines are exceptional, but they have not been reviewed. We expect they will be well received.

As our long-time fans know, the concept of terroir is central to our wine program across the board. We have selected some of the most outstanding sites anywhere in the world for Chardonnay. Radian, Bentrock and Rita’s Crown have for years now established themselves as grand cru-type locations. Sanford & Benedict enjoys a stellar reputation, and we have finally seen it in action in 2024. Fiddlestix recently joined the Chardonnay game, as grafting began in 2022 and first harvest in 2024. We are finding the results extremely encouraging! We have additional diverse sites in the sandy soils of 10Ninths and Duvarita. 2024 only reaffirmed our excitement for Chardonnay in the SRH!

2024 Chardonnay, Sta. Rita Hills

This wine is a blend of top sites, including Sanford & Benedict (55%), Fiddlestix (25%), 10Ninths (formerly Hilliard Bruce) (10%) and our old friend Duvarita (10%).  The wine was fermented by native years and then aged 15 months on its lees in French oak barrels, 12% of which was new. Malolactic fermentation occurred spontaneously, although the wine retained excellent acidity, finishing at 3.45 pH with  6.0 g/l TA.

This wine has excellent ripeness, but those yellow, green and white fruits and white flowers are balanced by citrus and graphite-laden acidity and a rocky minerality. Medium bodied, energetic and lingering, we love this wine with its impeccable balance, pure energy and terrific length. This wine will be a tremendous value as it evolves over the next 6-9 years.

Extremely Limited. Only 195 Cases Produced.

2024 Chardonnay, Bentrock Vineyard

Bentrock is located at the far western edge of the Sta. Rita Hills. Slightly lower in elevation than Radian, and slightly warmer, the vineyard features clay and chert in its rocky, north-facing Chardonnay blocks. The Chardonnay here is truly exceptional, among the best anywhere, with mighty fruit components balanced by dramatic, powerful acidity. It is the best of both worlds and it has been the backbone of the Black Label program.

In 2024 we managed to bottle a small run of 75 cases of Bentrock. The 2024 wine was barrel fermented by native yeasts in top quality French oak barrels, 33% new. The resulting wine went through full native malolactic fermentation in barrel, arriving at a finished pH of 3.33 with 6.3 g/l ta. These are extraordinary numbers, which reflect the chilly location and cool growing season. The wine was aged for 17 months on its lees, without stirring, before selection, blending and bottling. The wine is intensely driven, with middleweight tropical and green fruit flavors, a powerful mineral spine, and a whiplash of crystalline acidity. Incredibly long, we are just blown away by this wine.

Not yet rated, professional acclaim for the 2023 was overflowing. The 2023 was 95+ to 97 Points from top critics (97 from Billy Norris in Vinous). 2024 should perform similarly.

Extremely Limited. Only 75 Cases Produced.

2024 Chardonnay, Radian Vineyard

Radian vineyard is located at the far western edge of the Sta. Rita Hills on steep slopes with large amounts of diatomaceous earth. The vineyard is a testament to vision, courage and perseverance as it is regularly blanketed by fog and buffeted by high, often gale force winds. The Chardonnay vines here struggle to set fruit, and the resulting grapes are 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) directly faces the mighty Pacific Ocean on a steep hill at about 400 feet elevation. Ocean winds batter this site most of the day. We are amazed that vines can live on these meager hillsides. Yields were frightfully low in 2024, producing only 3 barrels.

The 2024 wine was barrel fermented by native yeasts in top quality French oak barrels, 33% new. The resulting wine went through full native malolactic fermentation in barrel and was aged for 17 months on its lees, without stirring, before selection, blending and bottling. The wine is racy, mineral driven and incredibly long. 3.32 pH and 6.8 TA

Not reviewed yet, but critics loved the 2023 version which was 94+ to 96 across the board.

Extremely Limited. Only 70 Cases Produced.

2024 Chardonnay, Rita’s Crown Vineyard
**WINE CLUB Wine – Spring 2027

Rita’s Crown sits majestically at some of the highest elevations in the Sta. Rita Hills (up to 850 feet). Our blocks (16 and 17) 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.

In 2024 yields were a miniscule 1.22-2.12 tons per acre, with an average of 1.57 TPA. These lower yields and a long cool season result in ripeness at incredibly strong acid levels. In 2024 the final, post full malolactic fermentation pH was 3.43, with TA of 6.1, which is remarkable for grapes picked in October.

The 2024 wine was fermented by native yeasts in top quality French oak barrels, 25% new. The resulting wine was aged for 17 months on its lees, without stirring, before selection, blending and bottling.

Not yet rated. 2023 version was 94-98 Points from major critics (98 Jonathan Cristaldi).

Extremely Limited. Only 200 cases produced.

Also Available In TINY Quantities:
2023 Chardonnay Black Label – 96 Points Vinous, Dunnuck & Lisa Perotti-Brown – Less than 30 cases left.

Notes on Ordering

As we alluded to earlier, 2024 was a very low yielding year for Chardonnay.  We have a very small amount of Rita’s Crown to offer now, and there is very little Radian, Bentrock or 2023 Black Label period. They will not be around long…

Heading into the summer shipping season, many areas of the country are unfit for ground shipping. Please contact us for expedited or temperature control shipping options (additional fees may apply). If you would prefer us to hold your wines until Fall, please add a note during checkout by selecting “Add a note about this order” in the Billing section of your checkout cart.