From an "Exciting Young Winemaker" and A Perfect Vintage

It didn’t take long for Ryan Deovlet to make a name for himself. He started his own winery in 2008 after cutting his teeth with the likes of Stephen Dooley, David Ramey, Paul Hobbs and Stephen Ross. His experience also includes a year in New Zealand and Australia, taking a hands-on approach in the vineyard including a harvest at Turramurra Estate. By 2012, Antonio Galloni was already referring to him as “one of the most exciting young winemakers in the Central Coast” and his 2009s and 2010s were all considered terrific, both the Chardonnays and the Pinot Noirs. Galloni also stated that “Readers who can find the wines should not hesitate.”

So when I saw that we had checked in some of his 2012s, I couldn’t wait! Given the accolades he has received and the reviews for the vintage in Santa Barbara County, I anticipated exceptional wine. Why not? Everyone in the loop proclaimed it to be "perfect growing season" - one where there were no extremes in temperatures and an autumn so cool and pleasant, growers could harvest whenever they chose. The season was so exceptional that Jeb Dunnuck wrote in his vintage report on the Robert Parker website that over 60% of the 700+ wines that were tasted rated as “outstanding or above”.

2012 Deovlet Chardonnay Sanford & Benedict Vineyard lives up to both vintage and winemaker’s reviews! This is exceptional Cali Chardonnay, delivering a tremendous amount of citrus and white floral on the nose. I let the glass warm a bit after coming from the fridge and was rewarded by layers of lemon zest, a hint of ruby grapefruit and subtle almond and the time it spends in oak lends a richness that reminds me of French pastries. It was perfect sipping on a spring day, the light golden yellow in the glass seemed a reflection of the sun we have all longed to see for months. An hour into the bottle, and I am as big a fan of this winemaker as the critics!

At just $35.99 a bottle, Ryan Deovlet’s 2012 Sanford and Benedict Vineyard Chardonnay is perfect to keep on hand – enjoy it alone or with a light meal like pasta with spring vegetables and olive oil - simple, straightforward and delicious. We have less than 5 cases in stock so this is a great time to pick some up! Like the sunshine and beautiful warm weather, it won’t last forever, and this is a Chardonnay that is just too good to miss.