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A beautiful chardonnay with cooked apple, dried mango and mineral character with a pumice undertone. It’s full-bodied with solid tension and a curated finish. Extremely polished and focused. Tensioned. No malo. Made from organic grapes. Drink now.James Suckling | 94 JSThe aromas are restrained but compelling, influenced perhaps by the herb gardens that grow alongside the vineyard. There is chamomile and verbena together with just a hint of the apricot and mango of ripe California Chardonnay. The palate is equally restrained, refreshingly steely, with a sinewy backbone of acidity supporting ripe yellow tree fruit. Malolactic fermentation was blocked but a plushness exists to the texture from battonage and there is a definite sensation of spongy compression on the mid palate, generous and delicious. The finish is pure-fruited and long. This is a lovely, refreshing wine to drink right now, light on its feet but sinewy as a dancer.Decanter | 94 DECFresh and expressive, featuring Honeycrisp apple, yuzu and lemon blossom flavors that show hints of marzipan and nutmeg, this white offers wonderful restraint and focus. The long, juicy finish reveals a hint of fresh-grated ginger. Drink now through 2030. 1,609 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSThe 2020 Chardonnay Carbone is terrific. Coming from older vines (planted in 1988), it has a pretty, perfumed nose of lemon curd, ripe melon, and white flowers, as well as a subtle tropical edge. On the palate, it’s medium-bodied, with a solid spine of acidity and a great finish. It shines for its purity and elegance while still bringing good depth of fruit and concentration.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDThe 2020 Chardonnay Carbone is sourced from old vines in the Berry Lane vineyard in Coombsville, right next to the Carbone winery. The blocked malo style yields a Chardonnay built on brightness and energy, with lovely citrus, floral and savory accents. This is such a gorgeous wine.Vinous Media | 92 VM

Mike Grgich, who turned 100 in April 2023, emigrated from Croatia to California in 1958 and worked his way up as a winemaker until, in 1973, he produced the Chateau Montelena Chardonnay that triumphed in the 1976 Judgement of Paris tasting. His own winery, then Grgich Hills Cellar, was founded as a partnership in 1977. Grown near San Pablo Bay, the estate Chardonnay is fermented and aged in barrels and foudres, 40% of which are new French oak. Ronan Sayburn MS: Gunflint reductive nose with green cardamom, cucumber skin, oyster shell and seaweed. Smoky subtle oak. Lean, tight and mineral. Eugenio Egorov: Hints of citrus and caramel with a touch of vanilla on the nose. Creamy and vibrant with beautiful citrus and balanced acidity. Ben Gubbins: Struck match, toast and lime aromas. The palate is firm and citrussy, holding tight through a citrus and pineapple finish.Decanter | 95 DECAromas of dried orange peel, lemon grass and hay. Medium-bodied with lovely complexity. Herbs and dried citrus meld together, with a hint of white tea adding intrigue. Well composed. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 93 JSA non-malolactic wine—made in the spirit of the Chateau Montelena Chardonnay that impressed at the Paris tasting in 1976—Grgich’s 2020 Estate Grown Chardonnay features gentle toasty notes, a hint of roasted hazelnut, plus bright pineapple and citrus fruit. It’s medium-bodied, zesty and refreshing, with a long, clean finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPThis fruity, fresh and well-balanced wine offers an appetizing mixture of lemony crispness along with baked apple richness. A relatively light body and smooth texture bring out more ripeness and butter on the palate and finish. Wine Enthusiast | 92 WENo written review provided. | 92 W&S

Peaches, fresh flowers, rose petal, cedar and orange blossom. Medium to full body with a brightness and complexity. So lively and complex with energy and intensity. Cedar, dried seaweed and strawberry aftertaste. Gorgeous now. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 97 JSThe 2020 Pinot Noir Goldrock Estate takes on a darker fruit profile, with ripe black cherry, fresh potting soil, and root beer spice. In line with the nose, the palate is more grounded in nature, with black raspberry and layers of incense and spice that unfold harmoniously through its long finish. This is worth holding a couple years and drinking over the following 10 or more years.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDThe 2020 Pinot Noir Goldrock Estate, matured in 30% new oak, is a touch muted on the nose and takes time to reveal red cherries, raspberries, blood orange and potpourri. The medium-bodied palate is soft and juicy with a concentrated core of red berry fruit and pleasant herbal undertones on the long finish. Drink it over the next 3-5 years. 1,067 cases produced.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPA juicy, balled-up wine, brimming with blackberry and boysenberry compote flavors lined with black tea, anise and chaparral. Give this a touch of cellaring to let everything unwind fully. Lots to like here. Best from 2023 through 2029. 1,067 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

Coming from the Santa Lucia Highlands and brought up in 60% new French oak, the 2020 Chardonnay East of Eden Pisoni Vineyard is another stunner, offering a mineral-laced bouquet of stone fruits, chalky minerality, white flowers, and toasted bread. With incredible purity, medium to full body, and perfectly integrated acidity, it brings remarkable intensity and richness while staying vibrant, balanced, and light on its feet, with flawless balance. It picks up a liqueur of rocks-like sensation aromatically and on the palate with time in the glass (I followed this bottle for multiple days) and will drink brilliantly over the coming 7-8 years, although there’s no need to delay gratification.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDThe 2020 Chardonnay Pisoni Vineyard East of Eden is precise, nuanced and full of character. The 2020 has a bit more freshens than is often the case, but that is not a bad thing. There’s a bit of vintage 2020 edginess, typical for a year in which fruit was picked very early, but all things considered, this a strong showing. Hints of lemon peel, white flowers, mint and tangerine oil linger.Antonio Galloni | 92 AG

The 2020 Syrah Il Padrino Bien Nacido Vineyard also saw a touch of stems (5%) and was aged 19 months in two-thirds new French oak. Coming from a cooler site, it has a deep ruby/plum color as well as a great nose of ripe blackberry and mulberry fruits, notes of charred meat, iron, and baking spices, full-bodied richness, ripe and integrated tannins, and a great, great finish. Out of the two Syrahs, this beauty is a touch more balanced and elegant, and also has slightly more mid-palate density. Regardless, both are brilliant, singular wines that readers will love.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDThe 2020 Syrah Bien Nacido Vineyard Il Padrino is a brute. Most of the wines in this range are quite racy, but the Padrino is simply impenetrable as this stage. Blue/purplish fruit, lavender, mocha, gravel, dried herbs and menthol are some of the many notes that develop. There is some whole cluster influence, which adds complexity.Antonio Galloni | 96 AG

The 2020 Pinot Noir Suerte Solomon Hills Vineyard comes from 20-year-old vines farmed by Chris Hammell and was matured for 17 months in 52% new French oak. It has a pale ruby color and deep scents of cranberry, sour cherries, Earl Grey tea, licorice, mushrooms and autumn leaves. The medium-bodied palate is concentrated and supple with fireworks of fresh acidity to call you back on the long, flavorful finish. 430 cases were made.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPThe 2020 Pinot Noir Solomon Hills Vineyard Suerte is a fabulous example of what this Santa Maria site is all about. Dense, rich and explosive, the 2020 offers up copious dark cherry, plum, lavender, spice and a kiss of new French oak, with silky tannins and soft contours that wrap it all up.Vinous Media | 95 VMThe 2020 Pinot Noir Suerte Solomon Hills Vineyard comes from a great, tiny site outside of Santa Maria and was destemmed and spent 17 months in 52% new French oak. It has some classic Santa Maria minerality and marine-like iodine nuances as well as darker cherry and berry fruits, notes of baking spices, chocolate, and loamy earth, medium to full body, a round, concentrated mouthfeel, and a great finish. This rich, serious effort will benefit from just a year or two of bottle age and should have a decade of prime drinking.Jeb Dunnuck | 95+ JD

The 2020 Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills Cuvée is a terrific introduction to the range. Crushed red berry fruit, mint, spice, rose petal and a touch of whole cluster savoriness are all beautifully delineated. This is such a gorgeous and expressive Pinot.Vinous Media | 93 VM

Great flavor concentration and a nicely taut structure define this beautifully balanced wine. It is refreshing and rich at the same time, carrying light lemon zest and green-apple skin accents on a delicious base of quince and Gravenstein apples, while gently coated with subtle shades of toasted oak. Best from 2026–2036. Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEThe 2020 Chardonnay Woolsey Road Vineyard was harvested on August 17th before the wildfire smoke arrived, and with its pure, mineral-driven expression, it’s worth cellaring for several years. The nose opens with iodine and nori tones that give way to pretty scents of panna cotta, spring honey and lilac. The medium-bodied palate is buzzing with shimmery acidity that enlivens its perfumed fruit, and it has a long, saline-driven finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPShows juicy apple and pear flavors that are crisp and sleek, with lemon meringue, ginger and tropical hints on an appealingly dense, fleshy frame. Delivering details of toasted herbs and minerality, this is harmonious and expressive on the long finish. Drink now. 359 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

Medium ruby-purple, the 2020 Pinot Noir Estate is bursting with spicy cranberry, pomegranate, autumn leaves and Angostura bitters aromas. The medium-bodied palate is grainy and fresh with a concentrated core of ripe red fruit, and it has a long, layered finish. Blended with grapes from several vineyards across the Rochioli property (including Little Hill, Sweetwater, Big Hill, West Block and East Block), it offers lots of spicy complexity.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPRacy from the get-go, this delivers a delicious mix of linzer torte, blood orange and plum flavors inlaid with incense, black tea and mineral threads that add tension and range through the finish, dovetailing nicely with a pretty gloss of spicy toast. Best from 2023 through 2030. 1,456 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSA block selection of some of the producer’s most prized sites, this is made from 34% Little Hill, 28% Sweetwater, 19% Big Hill, 12% West Block and 7% East Block. Thick in bacon, grilled meat and brooding cherry fruit, it shows a chalky, gravelly texture in its structured, intense and tightly wound youth. Enjoy best from 2030–2040.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WE

The 2020 Chardonnay Patterson Vineyard opens with tempered matchstick-like reduction that gives way to nuanced aromas of baked apples, quince, lemon and lime blossom and toast. The medium-bodied palate strikes a fine balance between satiny, concentrated fruit and focused acidity, and the finish is long, layered and detailed.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPA strong mineral streak of rainy sidewalk and chalk kick off the focused nose of this bottling, which opens ever so slightly toward lime pith, jicama and nectarine. The chiseled stone texture and flavor of the palate is pleasantly relentless, wrapping around the light lime and green-lemon flavors.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThe 2020 Chardonnay Patterson is quite powerful. It shows a distinctly mineral and savory profile that is intriguing, but also bit out of character for the Sta. Rita Hills. Sage, mint, dried flowers and lightly honeyed notes are pushed forward, while fruit is very much in the background. It’s a compelling wine in this stellar lineup from Sandhi.Antonio Galloni | 94 AGJuicy acidity and a note of salted caramel mingle with mango, green apple and tangerine flavors at the core of this succulent white, which is vibrant on the finish. Drink now through 2027. 229 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

The 2021 Pinot Noir Comptche Ridge is powerful and expressive, with pure scents of wild berries, lavender, Earl Grey tea leaves and complex undertones of aniseed and iodine. The medium-bodied palate is impressively concentrated, velvety and energetic, and it boasts a very long, highly perfumed finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RP

The 2021 Red Wine California is a new Bordeaux-based red wine that Duncan Arnot and Nathan Roberts made initially to take the place of the 2020 Cabernets that would have been released around this time but were compromised by smoke. The Red Wine was initially intended to be a fun project, but Arnot and Roberts may have stumbled into what is really a pretty serious red with real potential. The 2021 is 60% Cabernet Sauvignon (Massa, Bedrock and Gordenker), 20% Cabernet Franc (Persia) and 20% Merlot (Massa). A powerful, old-school wine, the 2021 is going to need a few years to shed some tannin. I loved it.Vinous Media | 95+ VM

Spry and briary, this Zinfandel is fun to drink, with lively black cherry, licorice and dried sage flavors, which take on richness and cracked pepper accents toward zesty tannins. Drink now through 2031. 4,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

Cut grass, dark green herbs and yellow apple aromas show on the nose of this bottling. It’s very lean on the palate with a zippy, energetic acidity that cuts right through the cement, crushed stone and serrano flavors, engaging the palate on all sides.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEThe 2021 Sauvignon Blanc Au Naturel is laced with hints of pear, mint, chamomile, spice and apricot. Racy and textured in feel, the Au Naturel has plenty of richness to play off the natural vivacity of the year.Antonio Galloni | 92 AGAll varietal, the 2021 Sauvignon Blanc Au Naturel offers a touch more oomph in its white peach, melon, white flowers, and honeysuckle-like aromas and flavors. It’s rich, medium-bodied, balanced, and certainly an outstanding expression of Sauvignon Blanc.Jeb Dunnuck | 91 JD

The 2021 Pinot Noir Chimera is a rich, heady wine. A burst of dark red cherry, plum, lavender, rose petal and blood orange are all dialed up. This bold, generous Pinot delivers the goods, big time. It’s a fabulous entry-level offering from Sean Capiaux, if that term can even be used here. The Chimera is mostly young vines from Starscape, with dollops from Widdoes, Pisoni and Garys’.Antonio Galloni | 94 AG

Rose petal, pomegranate and an herbal blast of oregano and marjoram show on the nose of this bottling from an historic producer in the mountains east of Salinas. The palate is snappy in acidity with plenty of herbal influence, offering thyme-flecked strawberry-sauce flavorsWine Enthusiast | 92 WE

The 2021 Chardonnay Sta. Rita Hills is the first vintage of Chardonnay from Donnachadh. It was barrel fermented and matured for around 10 months. Its aromas combine bright herbal, green apple and pear tones with underlying savory hints. The light-bodied palate is bright and fresh, yet offers a touch of anchoring creaminess that draws out the finish. Proprietor Drew Duncan says that for this vintage, fruit came from the Donnachadh estate, although that may not be the case in the future as this new project really gets up and running.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPThis brand’s new appellation bottling satisfies in both Old and New World ways. Clean, chalky aromas of bright Meyer lemon flesh and pith meet with a briny note on the mineral-laden nose. The palate is wrapped in chiseled-stone tannins, loaded with acidity and yet generous on flavors of white melon, lychee, nectarine and honeysuckle.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WE

This is very unique in character, with sliced apple, honeysuckle and lavender. Spearmint, too. It’s medium-bodied with some pine and cooked-apple character in the palate. Flavorful, yet sophisticated and thoughtful. Minerally, compact and focused. 31-year-old vines. Drink now.James Suckling | 96 JSPacks precise flavors of ripe peach, apricot and salted preserved lemon, with lime accents and a savory thread of minerality. Offers a vibrant mouthful of acidity that keeps the flavors in focus, while a hint of dried lemon verbena peeks in on the finish. Drink now through 2029. 1,400 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

A fun, friendly expression of Cabernet Sauvignon that still provides the depth and complexity that has become expected from the variety. Enjoy notes of red and black cherry, blackberry, crushed red roses and violets, freshly turned earth, black pepper, toasted wood, nutmeg, cardamom and star anise. Fine-grained tannins add a smooth, silky texture; elevated acidity provides a freshness that rides right down the center of the palate, pointing toward the long, lingering finish.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WE

The 2021 Chardonnay One Sixteen, matured for 14 months in 34% new French oak, takes some time to shake off its youthful crème brûlée and allspice tones to reveal apricot, beeswax and honeysuckle aromas. The medium-bodied palate offers powerful fruit and oak spice and satisfying freshness to lift the finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RP

The 2021 Zinfandel Old Vines shows plenty of Lodi exuberance. Succulent red/purplish fruit, leather and sweet spice are front and center, with bright acids that perk things up on the mid-palate and finish. The 2021 is delicious and also a terrific value.Antonio Galloni | 92 AG

Coming from a cellar selection and a tiny production release, the 2021 Chardonnay Kokoro has exotic aromatics of tangerine, citrus oil, tropical flowers, and spice that give way to more racy citrus and minerality with time in the glass. Medium to full-bodied, concentrated, and flawlessly balanced, it’s another heavenly Chardonnay from Lato that readers will love. Give bottles a year and enjoy through 2031.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDThe 2021 Chardonnay Kokoro is especially fine in this vintage. It marries the energy of the year with some of the textural richness readers have come to expect from Paul Lato. Orchard fruit, marzipan, mint, tangerine and white flowers build effortlessly. The Kokoro, Lato’s top Chardonnay, is superb in 2021.Vinous Media | 95 VM

The 2021 Syrah Colson Canyon Vineyard is a perfumed powerhouse! Opaque ruby-purple, it has a concentrated core of cassis with touches of tar, thyme, grilled meats, menthol and bitter chocolate. The full-bodied palate is ripe and concentrated with surprising freshness for its style. It has a pleasantly chalky frame and a very long finish replete with violet perfume. This hedonistic Syrah could use another 5+ years in bottle to unwind and will be long-lived in the cellar.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPThe 2021 Syrah Colson Canyon Vineyard is one of the highlights among the 2021s I tasted from Joey Tensley. Vibrant and driving in feel, the Colson Syrah is endowed with tremendous character. Blue/purplish fruit, gravel, incense, menthol and lavender all take shape as the 2021 shows off its striking beauty. There is so much to look forward to.Vinous Media | 94-96 VMFrom a site located in the hills above Los Olivos, the 2021 Syrah Colson Canyon Vineyard gives up a dense purple hue as well as notes of jammy blueberries, black cherry liqueur, candied violets, and black pepper. This is a concentrated, medium to full-bodied, powerful Syrah that has terrific tannins as well as good acidity.Jeb Dunnuck | 93-95+ JD

Aromas of ripe plums and blackberries with sweet spices and cedar. Full-bodied with polished, chalky tannins and juicy dark berries in the middle. Round and compact with a chocolaty finish. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 92 JSFresh aromatics of red fruit, dusty currant, and petrichor with ripe raspberries and fresh mint. The palate is lively and elegant, with cut strawberries, wintergreen, and crushed stone. There is ample structure with lovely acidity, and for the price, this wine feels like you’re stealing.Decanter | 92 DEC