Chad Melville does it once again with this perfectly balanced Chardonnay. This cool climate wine is reminiscent of a beautiful White Burgundy, while still having a California essence. These grapes, which Chad and his father planted back in 1997, are all estate and organically grown. Aromatically on the nose this wine jumps from the glass with grilled lemons, fresh honeysuckle, and crunchy green pears. On the palate the wine is intriguing, full of ginger, kumquats, dried of straw and toasty notes. The palate is slightly oily which is cut with striking acidity and leaves a bold finish.

A terrific value, the 2017 Chardonnay Estate Sta. Rita Hills offers classic Sta. Rita Hills notes of spice citrus, salted orchard fruits, honeysuckle, and crushed rock-like minerality. Beautifully textured, medium-bodied, with high yet integrated acidity, it can be drunk today or cellared for upwards of a decade.

- October, 2019, Jeb Dunnuck