2018 Chardonnay Sanford & Benedict

Not yet bottled, the 2018 Chardonnay Sanford & Benedict is still resting in 20% new French oak. Coming from a great site on the southern side of the Sta. Rita Hills, it offers a rocking bouquet of lemon curd, chamomile, toasted bread, spice, and a touch of crushed stone-like flinty minerality. Beautifully textured, medium to full-bodied, and elegant on the palate, it's another brilliant wine from this estate. Not enough can be said about the quality consistently being produced by Gavin Chanin, and he’s produced some of the top wines of 2018. Pulling primarily from sites like Bien Nacido, Los Alamos, and Sanford & Benedict, Gavin’s wines are always exceedingly elegant, with bright acidity, yet they also have depth, length, and a sense of pure class. In addition, they show singular characters. As to the winemaking, the Pinot Noirs generally see a small percentage of stems, and the new oak is kept in the 20% to 30% range pretty much across the board. Unfortunately, quantities are minuscule, so most of these releases are under 200 cases.