2016 Chardonnay Bien Nacido Vineyard
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Tasting notes
ABC say: ‘We have been producing this wine for decades and have our winemaking protocol down to a point where we know exactly what to do to maximise the potential of these grapes from Bien Nacido Vineyard. We have identified the best locations where Chardonnay is grown and have locked in our commitment. The grapes were hand-harvested, whole-cluster pressed (to minimise tannin extraction from the skins), totally barrel-fermented in 100% new François Frères barrels, aged for 18 months, then bottled unfiltered. The aroma reveals this is obviously Chardonnay made in an Old World style.’ More aggressively worked than the regular Santa Barbara County 2017 bottling. Still pretty youthful! But very impressively long. Just a little embryonic at present. (JR)
Critic scores
Average Score
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
The 2016 Chardonnay Bien Nacido Vineyard is bright, focused and wonderfully nuanced. This is such a fabulous expression of Bien Nacido. Lemon confit, white flowers, mint and white pepper are all beautifully delineated in a striking, translucent Chardonnay that is in a great spot for current drinking. Bright saline notes add energy throughout. This is such a classy wine.
The 2016 Chardonnay Bien Nacido Vineyard is bright, focused and wonderfully nuanced. This is such a fabulous expression of Bien Nacido. Lemon confit, white flowers, mint and white pepper are all beautifully delineated in a striking, translucent Chardonnay that is in a great spot for current drinking. Bright saline notes add energy throughout. This is such a classy wine.