Current Release
2022 Chardonnay, Black Label 750ML
This wine is a reserve-level blend of our favorite barrels from the vintage. In 2022, the Black Label is comprised of grapes from three of the most extreme, wind-battered, sites in Sta Rita Hills (or anywhere for that matter): rocky, windswept Bentrock (50%), salty, windy Radian (33%) and steep, diatomaceous Rita’s Crown (17%). These difficult sites produce small clusters of thick skinned, tiny berry Chardonnay that has massive concentration, but also very high acids and a resounding mineral streak. The 2022 wine was fermented and aged on its lees in French oak barriques (83% new) with malolactic fermentation occurring spontaneously in barrel, and a finished pH of 3.36, with a TA of 6.0 g/L. The intensity of the wine marries perfectly with the very high quality, 30+ month air dried, medium long toasted flagship barrels from such renowned coopers as Rousseau, Damy & Seguin Moreau. The resulting wine is aged for 18 months on its lees without stirring, before selection, blending and bottling.
This wine is immediate and dramatic, displaying deep, concentrated aromas and flavors of ripe yellow fruits, with intense chalk and graphite minerals, baking spices and white and yellow flowers. On the palate the wine is rich and incredibly powerful albeit in a medium-bodied frame. The wine has spectacular structure, with ripe, mouthwatering, citrus influenced acidity and the corseting effect of beautifully integrated, gently toasted new oak. The wine has a terrific, complex finish that lasts for minutes and portends a fantastic future.
Not yet Rated, the 2021 version was given 100 points by Decanter, 97 points Jeb Dunnuck, and 95+ points Galloni. Extremely Limited – Only 150 cases produced.
This wine is immediate and dramatic, displaying deep, concentrated aromas and flavors of ripe yellow fruits, with intense chalk and graphite minerals, baking spices and white and yellow flowers. On the palate the wine is rich and incredibly powerful albeit in a medium-bodied frame. The wine has spectacular structure, with ripe, mouthwatering, citrus influenced acidity and the corseting effect of beautifully integrated, gently toasted new oak. The wine has a terrific, complex finish that lasts for minutes and portends a fantastic future.
Not yet Rated, the 2021 version was given 100 points by Decanter, 97 points Jeb Dunnuck, and 95+ points Galloni. Extremely Limited – Only 150 cases produced.
Wine Profile
| Vintage | 2022 |
|---|---|
| Wine Style | White Wine |
| Varietal | Chardonnay |
| Size | 750 ml |