2015 The Paring Chardonnay California White

2015 The Paring Chardonnay

92 JD

Featured Review

Coming from declassified lots of the Hilt Chardonnay, the 2015 Chardonnay offers of a clean, crisp style, medium-bodied richness and outstanding notes of spiced apples, citrus blossom and brioche. It's a terrific Chardonnay that's going to compete with wines that cost 2-3x its going rate. Jeb Dunnuck

Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JD

Type of Wine	California White : If you're in the mood for a creative, compelling white wine, few regions can compete with California, and it's immense varietal diversity. With the pure, potent essence of grapes such as Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, and Pinot Gris, these wines will stimulate your senses and arouse your intellect. Give in, and enjoy.
Varietal	Chardonnay : Chardonnay has carved its path towards the title “king of white grapes” in subtle yet striking fashion, playing instrumental roles throughout the course of history. It was the chosen grape variety which celebrated the inception of the very first Champagne house - Ruinart, which insists “Chardonnay is the golden thread that runs through the Ruinart taste. “ “Remember men, it’s not just France we’re fighting for, it’s Champagne,” Winston Churchill. The infamous and celebrated French author, Alexandre Dumas once declared a high quality chardonnay wine from Le Montrachet was one that is only appropriate to sip “on bended knees, with head bowed.” And of course, history was made once again when a bottle of 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay was awarded first prize in the famous tasting of the “1976 Judgement of Paris,” changing the world’s view on California Chardonnay, inspiring vintners and altering the landscape of California winemaking forever. The origin of the Chardonnay grape can be traced back to the small village of Macon in the Burgundy appellation of France. The varietal, whose name means “a place of thistles” in Latin, is the offspring of Pinot Noir and Gouais Blanc. Like most prominent grape varietals, the exact circumstances of its inception are unknown; however, it is interesting to note that Gouais Blanc originated in Germany. It is speculated that the ancient Romans, who successfully subdued the Germanic tribes in 6 AD, planted Gouais Blanc in French soil, unwittingly prompting the crossbreeding of the two varietals. If this is the case, the history of the Chardonnay grape goes back much further. The Noble Chardonnay grape variety is most happy in the winegrowing appellation of Burgundy, its home and birth place. Burgundy’s grand Terroir of marl limestone soils and cool climate allows the Chardonnay grape to express itself to its full zenith. Interestingly, the varietal is extremely flexible and can adapt to a wide diversity of soils, allowing the terroir in which it grows to dictate the qualities of the grape and thus revealing a multitude of personalities. For instance, there are subtle yet distinguishing differences in terroir in the Burgundian villages of Puligny-Montrachet, Chablis, Meursault, Corton Charlemagne, Macon, etc. which are all fashioned in their own unique way. The difference in each Climat or Lieu-dit, such as Le Montrachet (Puligny-Montrachet) and Valmur (Chablis) can take one further down the proverbial “rabbit-hole” and into the wonderful, yet complex world of Burgundy wines. However, Burgundy is but one prime growing location for this tremendously adaptable grape variety. The spread of Chardonnay would eventually take root in Champagne, where it excelled in the region’s cool climate and chalky, sub-soils. For top Champagne producers, it became the main ingredient in their high quality, high profile Blanc de Blancs. It would also begin to be blended with the two other acceptable varietals of Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier (red skinned grapes). The chardonnay grape is now planted in 10,000 of the 34,000 hectares of Champagne. Chardonnay would find its way to California in the late 1800’s but would remain obscure for more than a century due to ignorance of the varietal and lack of knowledge on how to marry it with appropriate terroir. Things changed in the 1970’s when Chardonnay saw a resurgence world-wide, mostly due to the 1976 Judgement of Paris. The unthinkable happened when a bottle of 1973 Chateau Montelena bested some of Burgundy’s finest chardonnay offerings from Batard-Montrachet and Meursault. This event helped place California on the map, changing the face of California winemaking forever. It rejuvenated the cultivation of the Chardonnay grape variety, which saw an exponential growth world-wide. Much like the climats of Burgundy which have their own unique terroir, Chardonnay’s adaptability has found a home in the diverse appellations, terroirs and climates of California. The cool climate locations produce crisp wines with Burgundian nuances, while warmer climates produce wines with opulent, ripe fruit reminiscent of pineapple, mango and papaya. Terroir also dictates the personality, steel and concrete tanks versus oak, and the list goes. From buttery, oak-infused heady wines to crisp, refreshing cool climate fashioned Chardonnays, the grape variety can be extremely modified. There are not enough letters in Microsoft Word to demonstrate all the different nuances, qualities, differences of terroir, climate and winemaking techniques that would encompass in full, the details of the Chardonnay grape. The well-travelled grape varietal of Chardonnay has become the fascination of consumers around the world, becoming the most written about of all grapes. Today, it is planted in over 40 countries, amassing an impressive 211,000 hectares (500,000 acres) across the globe. From Burgundy to Champagne, Napa to Sonoma, Chile, Argentina, South Africa, New Zealand and Australia, Chardonnay graces vineyards around the world, captivating its audience with its multiple personalities. “So powerful is the ‘C-word’ on a wine label,” as the famed Jancis Robinson exclaimed. Since its discovery in Macon, this C-word has become a dominant force in the world of wine, changing history, winemaking and the understanding of winegrowing and its powerful attributes to a single varietal.
Country	US : As one of the most prolific and innovative wine regions in the world, America is a joy to explore. Most wine connoisseurs will agree that the nation's finest and most compelling wines are being produced today, which means that we have front-row seats to one of the most inspirational stories in wine history. While other regions tend to focus on specific wine styles and have somewhat strict rules as to which varietals you could grow, areas like California have few such restrictions in place. As a result, creative visionaries behind America's most reputable estates have been able to develop compelling, unique, and innovative styles, with a level of terroir expression that rivals even France's largest giants.
Region	California : With a history of wine production that dates back to the 18th century, California currently sits as one of the world's most prolific and reputable wine regions. With an area as vast as California, you can expect a colorful collage of terroir profiles, a series of microclimates, and micro-environments that give the wine a unique, memorable appeal. The region's produce is far from homogenized in that sense, and it would take you countless hours to sample all of it. While the region boasts scars from the Prohibition era, it went through what can only be described as a viticultural Renaissance sometime after the 1960s. At that point, California went from a port-style, sweet wine region to a versatile and compelling competitor on the world market. Today, no matter which way your taste in wine leans, you can find a new favorite producer among California's most talented. Notable sub-regions include legendary names like Napa Valley and Sonoma County, places that any wine lover would die to visit. California's quintessential warm climate allows for incredibly ripe fruit expressions, a style that provides a stark contrast to Old World-inspired, earthy classics. Even where inspiration was clearly taken from staple French appellations, Californian winemakers put their own unique spin on the wine.

Producer	The Paring : Imagine having the opportunity to taste high profile, luxury wines for under $25. This is a dream come true for those with Champagne taste on a beer budget. From the owner of Screaming Eagle (no introduction needed) and the historic Burgundy estate, Bonneau du Martray, comes The Paring; a winery that allows those dreams to come true. The Paring creates wines of extraordinary pedigree for all occasions, any palate and every budget. And, unlike declassified labels or wineries that sell their fruit with multiple legal pages of non-disclosure, the source of The Paring wines are clearly made known. Born in 2006 out of a driving passion to create wines of vintage California quality, the desire to explore, experiment and excite…without rules. The Paring sources its fruit from the highly acclaimed Jonata and The Hilt estates in Santa Barbara County, from vineyard blocks which are either too young or don’t make the final blend. The Paring is a cut (pun intended) of each estate. Winemaker, Matt Dees, puts pedigree first and then lets imagination take over. Dees, who worked at Craggy Range in Hawkes Bay, New Zealand and Staglin Family Vineyard in Napa Valley, is currently the winemaker at Jonata, The Hilt and The Paring. Interestingly, all three estates are owned by the same Billionaire who writes the checks at Screaming Eagle and Bonneau du Martray, Stanley Kroenke. Matt Dees, Kroenke’s wine guy, has become the dirt guru behind the genius of vintage California wines that have no bounds. Most vintners insist that 90% of winemaking happens in the vineyard; however, over the course of Dee’s career, he has begun to believe that people are 50% of winemaking. The longer he’s been in the industry the more he believes that people are just as much a part of terroir…and a loyal team and passionate people with a long-term vision are just as key. “You cultivate a team. You grow a team, you grow together kind of like the vines growing in the soil.” This is intriguing given he has a degree in Soil Science and an intrinsic feel for wine, from dirt to glass. He is curious, earthy and experimental by nature. Matt’s approach is grounded in the vineyard first and foremost. Attuned to the vines, the weather and soil, Matt seems almost to be a part of the vineyard himself. Not being bound by the conventions of the ecological world of academia has allowed Matt to come to an untethered philosophy of wine. Matt is a winemaker who’s emotionally and intellectually connected to structure, texture and tannin and explores these elements deeply in his wines. The wine portfolio of The Paring is impressively diverse, including single-variety Syrah, Pinot Noir, Rose of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and its highly-touted Red Blend (Cabernet-inspired Bordeaux blend). The wines combined have an annual production of 15,000 to 16,000 cases. Sourced from key vineyards in Santa Ynez Valley, St. Rita Hills and Santa Maria Valley, the wines explore the different styles from each vineyard, allowing the terroir of each to be discovered in the glass. The Paring wines are for pleasure, meant to be enjoyed any time in any setting. They allow consumers to explore the wine from the dirt to glass, in economical fashion, no limitations…no rules.