2015 Estate “Cheryl’s Chardonnay - Black Ridge Vineyards

Juicy pineapple, vibrant honeysuckle, freshly baked apple pie. Sweet mango, ocean air, cinnamon poached pear. A ripe and expressive volley of grilled peach, lemon curd, and persimmons emphatically collides with sea spray, caramel, and coconut cream in a fantastically powerful yet simultaneously tense and nervy display. Billowy notes of peonies and blooming jasmine reveal intense floral overtones that undulate in tune with clove, nutmeg, and restrained baking spice. Wafts of sawdust and dried hay expose a pinch of subtle natural charm offset by the sheer decadence of butterscotch and crème brûlée. Within the full-throttle and big-fruited attack impressions of marine-derived soil carry a thread of saline minerality that helps firm and tighten an otherwise round and generous display. Voluptuous and forward yet crisp and electric on the palate; exhibiting palpable pent-up energy that results in a striking and downright vivacious mouthfeel. Full bodied yet nicely fleshed out by pronounced acidity. This 2015 Estate "Cheryl's" Chardonnay by Black Ridge Vineyards is a bold, dynamic, and expressive white from California's Santa Cruz Mountains. 

Stretching from the shores of the cold Pacific Ocean to the edges of the Silicon Valley, the Santa Cruz Mountains are a diverse and intriguing winegrowing region that unequivocally produces some of the world's greatest wine. This bottling, crafted by Black Ridge Vineyards using Chardonnay sourced from a singular block of their estate vineyard located above Los Gatos, showcases the natural tension and complexity that the these mountains are uniquely capable of. While crafted in a ripe and forward style this wine writhes with the inherent energy of its world-class terroir as it hits the palate like a sports car on a straightaway. It is powerful and intense without abandoning structure or subtlety, and even generous oak tones do not detract from its near-electric zip. This is truly an excellent creation from simply inimitable terroir.