Donnachadh Sta. Rita Hills Chardonnay 2023

The 2023 Chardonnay opens with aromas of sliced lemon, yellow apple, white peach, apricot, jasmine and wet stones. The palate is medium-bodied and juicy with bright acidity, a textural mouthfeel and a long, mineral finish. Refined and balanced with plenty of freshness. This clean, pure Chardonnay is ready to go and should drink beautifully over the coming 4-5 years.

100% Chardonnay sourced entirely from the family owned and organically farmed Donnachadh estate in the Sta. Rita Hills AVA of Santa Barbara County. Hand harvested, whole clusters pressed by foot treading, fermented in neutral oak with native yeast, matured for 10 months in French oak, with about 5% new oak. The climate of the Santa Rita Hills is dominated by the Pacific Ocean, which lies about nine miles from the vineyard. Morning fog cools the grapes and consistent afternoon ocean breezes keep heat from building up over the course of the day.

Drew and Laurie Duncan searched almost a decade for the perfect cool climate site to grow Chardonnay and Pinot Noir before finally discovering Donnachadh Vineyard. Organically farmed in the heart of the Sta. Rita Hills AVA, the property was planted to vine by the Duncans in 2013. Santa Barbara Winemaker Ernst Storm is at the healm for winemaking. Having hailed from the Western Cape of South Africa, his experience making balanced wines from cool climate grapes has served him well in the Sta. Rita Hills. Ernst believes that the diverse soils and microclimates within Santa Barbara County make it a region with endless potential.

Pronounced "DON-nuh-kuh," Donnachadh is a 4th century Gaelic name ancestral to the modern Scottish surname, Duncan. The label art by Chris Buzelli shows a sea serpent from Scottish legend surrounded by mist and blowing fog to represent the mystical, rugged setting and marine influence of the vineyard site in the Sta. Rita Hills.