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

Brewer-Clifton was founded in 1996 by Greg Brewer and Steve Clifton, and Greg Brewer's fingerprints are on nearly every corner of Santa Rita Hills winemaking today, having helped map and establish the AVA itself back in 1997. Brewer began his career as a French instructor before training at Santa Barbara Winery, eventually building a reputation as one of California's most respected Chardonnay and Pinot Noir winemakers. His hands-on, low-intervention philosophy defines every bottling under the label, focused entirely on single-vineyard expressions from this one appellation.

The 3D bottling comes from a single, predominantly sandy 10-acre vineyard planted with five Chardonnay clones in equal measure. Santa Rita Hills sits in one of the coolest pockets of the West Coast, with a growing season long enough to give grapes unusual depth of flavor while retaining acidity. True to Brewer-Clifton's style, the wine sees no new oak at all, aging instead in neutral barrels after whole-cluster pressing, letting the vineyard's own character carry the wine rather than any winemaking influence.

Expect a medium gold color with an exotic perfume of honeyed stone fruit, orange blossom, chalk, and brioche. On the palate the wine is medium to full-bodied and richly textured, with layered citrus, almond, and a touch of salinity carrying through a long, mineral-driven finish. Pair it with roasted halibut, lobster, or a creamy goat cheese tart.