You can find Chardonnay growing in seemingly every wine region across California, wtih celebrated results. However, proximity to the coast—where wind, fog and cool temperatures are prevalent—tends to create choice areas for Golden State winemakers. In our latest Tasting Highlights, several of the state's most celebrated Chardonnay regions are on display, from Santa Barbara in the south to Napa Valley in the north. These white wines offer a range of interpretations for the category, which continues to expand its range of styles with each vintage. (Incidentally, Chardonnays can also be delicious wines for winter.)
It's no secret that Pinot Noir thrives in Santa Barbara's Sta. Rita Hills, but the same moderate coastal climate and diverse soil tapestry—including sand, diatomaceous earth, clay and shale, colluvial rocks and alluvial deposits—are also ideal for growing Chardonnay. Similarly, Greg Brewer of Brewer-Clifton is perhaps better known for his Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir, but his Chardonnay has also been outstanding in recent vintages. The 2022 vintage combines grapes from four estate sites from which Brewer makes single-vineyard bottlings, and it's fermented and aged in exclusively neutral barrels. The result is a mouthwatering and intense Chardonnay with a core of citrus flavors.
This lineup also includes Neyers' Chardonnay Carneros 2022, an elegant Chardonnay with butterscotch, nutmeg and pineapple notes. Read on to get our score and full expert tasting note for this fantastic California Chardonnay and seven others.
Tasting Highlights' wine reviews are fresh out of the tasting room, offering a sneak peek of our editors' most recent ratings—including scores and full tasting notes—to WineSpectator.com members.
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