Name: Donnachadh Estate Chardonnay 2021 750ml
Brand: Donnachadh Estate
SKU: 1009741
Price: 51.94 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 92.5 (4 reviews)

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Winery

Donnachadh Estate

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Varietal

Chardonnay

Of all the white wine grape varietals, surely the one that has spread the furthest and is most widely appreciated is Chardonnay. This green-skinned grape is now grown all over the Old and New Worlds, from New Zealand to the Americas, from England to Chile, and is one of the first varietals people think of when considering white wine grapes. Perhaps this is because of its huge popularity, which reached a peak in the 1990s, thanks to new technologies combining with traditional methods to bring the very best features out of the Chardonnay grape and allow its unique qualities to shine through. Most fine Chardonnay wines use a process known as malolactic fermentation, wherein the malic acids in the grape juice are converted to lactic acids, allowing a creamier, buttery nature to come forward in the wine. No grape varietal is better suited to this process than Chardonnay, which manages to balance these silky, creamy notes with fresh white fruit flavors beautifully.

Country

United States

Of all the New World wine countries, perhaps the one which has demonstrated the most flair for producing high quality wines - using a combination of traditional and forward-thinking contemporary methods - has been the United States of America. For the past couple of centuries, the United States has set about transforming much of its suitable land into vast vineyards, capable of supporting a wide variety of world-class grape varietals which thrive on both the Atlantic and the Pacific coastlines. Of course, we immediately think of sun-drenched California in regards to American wines, with its enormous vineyards responsible for the New World's finest examples of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot based wines, but many other states have taken to viticulture in a big way, with impressive results. Oregon, Washington State and New York have all developed sophisticated and technologically advanced wine cultures of their own, and the output of U.S wineries is increasing each year as more and more people are converted to their produce.

Region

California

California as a wine producing region has grown in size and importance considerably over the past couple of centuries, and today is the proud producer of more than ninety percent of the United States' wines. Indeed, if California was a country, it would be the fourth largest producer of wine in the world, with a vast range of vineyards covering almost half a million acres. The secret to California's success as a wine region has a lot to do with the high quality of its soils, and the fact that it has an extensive Pacific coastline which perfectly tempers the blazing sunshine it experiences all year round. The winds coming off the ocean cool the vines, and the natural valleys and mountainsides which make up most of the state's wine regions make for ideal areas in which to cultivate a variety of high quality grapes.

Appellation

Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara is home to many of California's most sought after wines, with a powerful reputation for superbly crafted, old world style big, flavorful and complex red wines. The white wine industry in the region is growing, too, with many wineries within Santa Barbara successfully experimenting with several classic white wine grape varietals. As in much of California, Santa Barbara benefits from the blazing west coast sunshine, coupled with cooling Pacific Ocean breezes and fogs, which help to temper the grapes and slow the ripening process, thus ensuring more flavor and aroma in the resulting wines. Although Santa Barbara is a relatively young wine region, it is home to many wineries who are extremely dedicated when it comes to demonstrating just how good their terroir is, and how characterful their region's wines can be.

DC 94pts

Decanter

Fresh and enticing with alluring toasty oak and candied ginger notes nuanced by salted lemon peel. Wonderful satiny citrus and ripe orchard fruit intermix on the richly layered mid-palate, turning more crème brulee and refreshing through the laser-focused, acidy-rich finish. Plenty of tension. Clone 4, 76, Wente, and 548. Foot stomp and barrel fermenters in neutral French oak. Aged on the lees 11 months, all clones are kept separate, blended, and fermented with native yeast and minimal intervention. Co-founders Drew and Laurie Duncan started visiting the Sta. Rita Hills in Santa Barbara County after looking for property in the Anderson Valley and Sonoma Coast. They found what they sought in 2013 and locked into 285 acres along Santa Rosa Road and the Santa Ynez River, east of Sanford & Benedict. They have planted Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Syrah, and Gamay. Their winemaker is Ernst Storm.

WA 92pts

Wine Advocate

The 2021 Estate Chardonnay has pure, delicate scents of saline, lime peel, Meyer lemon and almonds. The light-bodied palate balances a core of creamy citrus fruit and laser-like acidity with a touch of textural grip, and it has a mineral-driven finish.

VM 92pts

Vinous Media

The 2021 Chardonnay Estate emerges from the upper blocks on the vineyard. It offers notable aromatic intensity and dimension, along with the complexity that defines the best wines from this part of the Sta. Rita Hills appellation. Graphite, dried flowers, mint, herbs and citrus linger on the crystalline finish.

JD 92pts

Jeb Dunnuck

The 2021 Chardonnay Estate is light gold-hued with a racy citrus, lemon, chalky mineral, and sappy flower-driven perfume that flows to a medium-bodied, elegant, nicely balanced Chardonnay that will evolve for 7-8 years. It's made in a leaner, vibrant, racy style while staying balanced and thoroughly enjoyable.

Winery Notes

• Certified Organic. • 100% Chardonnay. • Sta. Rita Hills AVA. • Whole clusters pressed by foot treading. • Fermentation in neutral oak. • Aged on lees for 11 months before bottling (25% new oak).

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Donnachadh Estate Chardonnay 2021 750ml