Sanford Sanford & Benedict Chardonnay
THE STORY
The Sanford & Benedict Vineyard is where it all began. In 1971 this was the first vineyard planted in what became a world class, cool climate appellation. This iconic vineyard now contains the oldest Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vines in Santa Barbara County. Between the history and the amazing quality of the fruit, many consider this site deserving of “Grand Cru” status. The 2015 vintage produced wines with lovely texture and balance.
PROFILE & WINEMAKING
Light golden with a slight green hue, the 2015 Sanford & Benedict Chardonnay entices with aromas of lemon peel, white flowers and toasted hazelnut. The focused palate is bright and tense, with distinctive minerality. This is always our most “old world” Chardonnay. The fruit from this old, own rooted vineyard block was gently whole cluster pressed and fermented in French Oak, where it was allowed to gently age for 15 months with occasional lees stirring. Only 10 barrels were selected for this bottling.
91 Points: “The 2015 Chardonnay Sanford & Benedict comes from the namesake vineyard of the estate and spent 15 months in 30% new French oak. It's crisper and more vibrant, with some tart acidity, but has wonderful citrus, flowers, and salinity. With medium-bodied richness and an energetic style, it's going to benefit from short-term cellaring and keep for over a decade.” - Jeb Dunnuck
