2021 Diatom Chardonnay

Readers looking for a smoking value in Chardonnay from Santa Barbara County will love the 2021 Diatom. Offering a light gold hue as well as a juicy array of ripe melon, pineapple, honeyed flowers, and chalky minerality, it hits the palate with medium-bodied richness, a round, lush mouthfeel, good acidity, and a great finish. It's well worth a case purchase and should keep for at least 4-6 years, although there's no need to delay gratification. The Diatom releases are made by Greg Brewer, and as usual, they represent screaming values. In addition, they’re made in large enough quantities that you should be able to find them in the market.

The Diatom 2021 Chardonnay (Santa Barbara County) is another home run from Greg Brewer. Stunning in its depth and overall intensity, the 2021 is bright and mineral, with plenty of citrus and floral character, but also a good amount of textural depth to keep things in balance. Time in the glass brings out the wine's layers and overall pedigree. As always, the style here favors cold fermentation, no malolactic fermentation and very short aging in steel prior to bottling. In 2021, all of the fruit is from Los Alamos. Best of all, the 2021 is a fabulous value.