2013 Dierberg Chardonnay Estate Santa Maria Valley

“Tree fruits, flowers, and citrus...”

2013 Dierberg Chardonnay Estate Santa Maria Valley

A Chardonnay redolent of wet stone, ginger, pear, yellow apple, apple blossom, and lemon peel—an amicable commingling of tree fruits and petals and citrus. It’s also slightly lactic with a hint of butterscotch, an inflection gained from twelve months in barrel and partial malolactic fermentation. But these notes mostly drift behind its scrim of flowers.

The body is silky, medium to full-figured, with noticeable nutmeg, vanilla, and ripe pears. But the fruit here is restrained, and the wine feels dry and somewhat savory and offers a tender, bitter bite at the finish. Good length and persistence allow it to stand up to light meats, poultry (especially roasted), and medium-aged cheeses.

14.6% abv | $32 (sample)

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