Bearwallow Vineyard, Chardonnay, 2020
A touch of cream and fine salt, plenty of flavour here, perhaps less elegance than the Mt. Pajaro, but more cut and depth. A touch more fruit weight here and more dry extract. Fresh stone fruit, touches of lemon flesh, there’s simply more to chew on here. To Jeff’s mind there’s always “an earthiness to Bearwallow that keeps some of the fruit in check”. The best Bearwallow Chardonnay we’ve tasted, and a new wine for us to offer as a result.
critic reviews
The 2020 Chardonnay Bearwallow Vineyard opens with fresh, radiant aromas of tangerine rind, lemon curd and white blossom. The palate is medium-bodied and immaculate in its balance, weight and lift, showing off a bright but accessible core of acidity through its long, stony finish. As with the Pinot Noir from this site, this offers readers a way to revel in the delightful precision of Rhys's single-vineyard wines without the cellaring required for the Santa Cruz Mountains bottlings.
The 2020 Chardonnay Bearwallow Vineyard is bright, energetic and nicely focused. Lively acids run through a core of citrus and orchard fruit, with expressive floral notes that develop later, adding lift. Medium in body and nicely delineated, the 2020 is a winner. Saline notes underpin the finish. I especially admire the focus here.