2013 Chardonnay Santa Barbara County

Lovely nutty, mealy aroma and just a hint of clementine and cedar. Finely creamy texture, subtly fresh, stony and very persistent. Deliciously restrained without austerity. (JH)

The 2013 Chardonnay Sta. Rita Hills is beautifully layered and nuanced in the glass, with bright beams of salinity that give the wine much of its energy. Lemon, grapefruit, white flowers and crushed rocks add shades of nuance in a crystalline, deeply expressive appellation-level wine to drink over the next few years. The 2013 is a blend od fruit from Bentrock and Rita's Crown.

A very classic style, the 2013 Chardonnay Santa Barbara County exhibits lots of orchard fruits, white peach and a touch of citrus to go with a soft, rounded, supple and medium-bodied feel on the palate. Possessing more fruit than the Sta. Rita Hills release, yet not the same level of precision or cut, drink this forward, delicious effort over the coming 2-3 years.