2020 Chardonnay Sanford & Benedict

Coming from one of the top sites in the Sta. Rita Hills, the 2020 Chardonnay Sanford & Benedict Vineyard spent 15 months in 20% new French oak. A brilliant effort, it reveals pure, crisp notes of orchard fruits, chalky minerality, honeyed flowers, and brioche. These carry to a medium-bodied Chardonnay that stays tight and compact on the palate, with good mid-palate density, integrated yet high acidity, and a distinct salinity and minerality on the finish. It's another brilliant, classy, age-worthy Chardonnay that should keep for 10-15 years. These latest releases from Gavin Chanin are pretty much straight-up brilliant across the board. Gavin pulls from some of the top sites in Santa Barbara County and favors a little bit of stems depending on the vineyard and aging in mostly neutral barrels. These are pure, classic, incredibly impressive wines that offer plenty of enjoyment in their youth, yet they can also evolve and age gracefully. As I write in the reviews, these wines are rarely about power and opulence and shine for their remarkable elegance, purity, and finesse. I love the wines.

The 2020 Chardonnay Sanford & Benedict Vineyard emerges from the original parcel of own-rooted vines planted in 1971. Crushed rocks, sage, mint, citrus and white flowers lend nuance to a bright, airy Chardonnay that is all understatement. The 2020 is not an obvious wine, but for readers who enjoy subtlety and nuance, this is very hard to beat.