2022 Brewer Clifton - Chardonnay 3D Santa Rita Hills (750ml)

Brewer-Clifton focuses on single vineyard Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from Sta. Rita Hills, the coolest, westernmost corner of Santa Barbara County's Santa Ynez Valley. The winery owns 60 acres across four vineyards in the appellation, and all of its wines are estate grown. They are known for a restrained style, with no new oak in the cellar.

3D Vineyard is a sandy, 10-acre site planted in 2007, mostly to Chardonnay, including the heirloom Wente and Mount Eden selections. Crisp ocean breezes and well-drained, limestone-rich soils define the appellation, allowing the fruit to ripen slowly while keeping its freshness. For 2022, the wine was raised entirely in neutral oak so the vineyard's character stays in front. This is the winery's reserve-tier Chardonnay, with only 752 cases produced.

Medium gold in the glass, it offers a ripe, exotic perfume of honeyed stone fruit, orange blossom, chalk, and brioche. The palate is dense and powerful yet finely detailed, with sea salt dusted Meyer lemon, mango, and marzipan over stony minerality, all carried into a huge, enveloping finish.