2019 Bien Nacido Vineyard Chardonnay - Tolosa Winery

Freshly-baked apple pie, sea spray, barely-ripe pineapple. Meyer lemon, whipped cream, cinnamon poached pear. Strikingly deep yet driving waves of grilled peach, cantaloupe, and orange zest lead a tremendously expressive yet highly energetic display magnificently complicated by the balanced decadence of macadamia nut and brioche. Flutters of honeysuckle, jasmine, and peonies delicately impart aromatic floral fragrances that dance alongside brilliantly spiced wafts of vanilla bean, nutmeg, and clove. Suggestions of crème brûlée and other mildly buttery hints contribute just a tinge of softness while still kept taut and tight by captivating saline minerality. Beautifully bold and flavorful on the palate while remaining exceptionally pretty, polished, and elegant; exhibiting a round yet nervy presentation that possesses both incredible depth and admirable restraint. Medium-plus bodied and brimming with high acidity. This 2019 Bien Nacido Vineyard Chardonnay by Tolosa Winery is a complex and terroir expressive white from Santa Barbara's Santa Maria Valley.

Located in the foothills of the San Rafael Mountains that ascend from the fertile Santa Maria Bench, the Bien Nacido Vineyard is one of California's undisputed Grand Crus and has been the source of some of the Central Coast's best wines for nearly a half-century. This bottling, crafted by Tolosa Winery using Chardonnay sourced from the Bien Nacido Vineyard, is an outstanding example of the unique combination of concentration and finesse that has made this site a world renowned place to grow wine grapes. This elegantly presents a rich yet thoroughly lively fruit profile packed with orchard, citrus, and stone fruits aided by the complement of lifted florals, perfectly-toasted oak, and unmistakably coastal minerality. Although irresistible today this boasts ideal structure to age, and should be absolutely sublime if allowed to cellar for 5-8 years. Exceptional.