2023 Lioco - Chardonnay Sonoma County (750ml)

Lioco is owned and operated by husband-and-wife team Matt and Sara Licklider, who started the label in 2005 with the intention of making wines that capture individuality rather than following market-driven trends. They source grapes from small, like-minded growers across Santa Cruz, Sonoma, and Mendocino counties, and their Chardonnays are known for being clean and character-driven, never oaky or buttery.

The 2023 vintage marked a return to a classic California growing season, with a wet spring, a good-sized crop, and October harvest dates. All the fruit for this bottling came from ranches in the Russian River Valley and Sonoma Coast corridor, hand picked in early to mid-October, then foot-tread crushed at the winery and pressed directly into stainless steel. For the first time in years, the winemaking team elected not to blend in any barrel-fermented lots, making this vintage 100% tank fermented and aged, showcasing the Chablis-like tension and minerality that only comes from the coldest growing years. The wine's low 3.4 pH gives it a mouthwatering quality throughout.

The finished wine is taut and steely in build but generous and creamy through the mid-palate. Golden apple, chalk, mint, marzipan, and chamomile tones blossom in the glass. Vinified entirely in stainless steel, it's beautifully pure and crystal clear, with a surprising amount of texture and weight at just 12.5% alcohol. Expect aromas of citrus, citrus blossom, wet stones, white flowers, and lanolin, with zippy acidity finishing on a note of Meyer lemon oil.

Pair with fresh oysters, fish and chips, or shrimp scampi.