2023 Brewer Clifton - Chardonnay Santa Rita Hills (750ml)
From four Sta. Rita Hills estate vineyards—3D, Machado, Hapgood, and Perilune—the 2023 Brewer-Clifton Chardonnay expresses the micro-terroirs of Santa Barbara County in a 750 ml bottle. Staying true to the winery’s philosophy, the grapes are whole-cluster pressed and the wine spends nine months in 100% neutral oak with no lees stirring, allowing the site to take center stage rather than the barrel.
Background: Brewer-Clifton was founded in 1996 by Greg Brewer and Steve Clifton. By 2012 the label shifted entirely to estate-grown fruit, and in 2017 Jackson Family Wines acquired the brand, with Greg Brewer continuing as winemaker and guiding voice.
The glass offers bright aromas of lemon, kiwi, and orange blossom, with a savory lift of sweet basil. On the palate, notes of jasmine, lime, and ginger unfold over a mineral backbone and sea-salt tang, delivering a crisp, citrus-laced finish.
Food pairing ideas: grilled halibut, burrata with citrus, or Dungeness crab cakes—each pairing highlighting the wine’s balance of acidity, coastal minerality, and citrus lift.