Baked apple, wild jasmine, squeezed lemon. Grilled peach, sea spray, crunchy honeydew. A pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg, dried straw and clean sand. High energy citrus and orchard fruit breaks out from a core of gorgeous saline minerality. Poached pear and lemon curd topped with greek yogurt and mini marshmallow dust. Ripe and showy yet completely focused and even a bit edgy thanks to magnificent acidity. This 2016 Gnesa Vineyard Chardonnay by Spear Vineyards & Winery is beautifully intellectual, fresh, and balanced.

The Spear estate property is located in the Santa Rita Hills appellation of Santa Barbara, California. Right next door to its west sits the Gnesa Vineyard. Planted in 1997, the Gnesa Vineyard is a small 3 acre parcel comprised solely of own-rooted Chardonnay. While not technically part of the Spear estate both properties are under the same ownership, and Spear makes a few wines using Gnesa fruit. This bottling, comprised of 100% Gnesa Chardonnay and aged on its lees for 10 months in neutral oak, is remarkably impressive. It possesses intense power and drive while remaining weightless and pretty. The bar for Santa Barbara Chardonnay is set quite high but this wine is up there with the best in the county. Excellent.