Optik Block 11D3 Chardonnay Bien Nacido Vineyard 2019
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Jeb
Dunnuck -
Wine
Spectator -
The Somm
Journal
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Kumquat leaf, salty margarita mixed with hints of chamomile and a fragrant array of brown spice, vanilla and toasty notions. Delectable flavors of lemon curd, grapefruit, key lime, and pommel, capped by a long and luscious finish. After a few swirls of the glass, sweet cream butter and popcorn reveal themselves for an additional indulgence.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Coming from a new planted clone (76) on an extreme, steep hillside parcel, the 159-case 2019 Chardonnay Bien Nacido Vineyard Block 11D3 was brought up in 30% new French oak, and it's a richer, riper version of Chardonnay than the I1 Block release. Lots of melon, white flowers, honeyed toast, and almond paste notes define the bouquet, and it's full-bodied, with a rich, unctuous, opulent texture, notable freshness and purity, and a great finish.
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Wine Spectator
Well-structured, with accents of marmalade to the pear tart and ripe apple flavors that are backed by crunchy acidity. Juicy savoriness lingers on the richly spiced finish. Drink now through 2025.
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The Somm Journal
Expressing ripe golden apple along with notes of toasty oak, nuts, and apple crumble, this voluptuous white is full bodied and full throttle. From a hillside block higher in the canyon with a warmer mesoclimate, it’s a creamy, hedonistic delight for all who enjoy big-textured California Chardonnay. Aged 11 months in 40% new French oak;
One of the most popular and versatile white wine grapes, Chardonnay offers a wide range of flavors and styles depending on where it is grown and how it is made. While it tends to flourish in most environments, Chardonnay from its Burgundian homeland produces some of the most remarkable and longest lived examples. California produces both oaky, buttery styles and leaner, European-inspired wines. Somm Secret—The Burgundian subregion of Chablis, while typically using older oak barrels, produces a bright style similar to the unoaked style. Anyone who doesn't like oaky Chardonnay would likely enjoy Chablis.
A lesser-known but elite AVA within the larger Santa Barbara district, the Santa Maria Valley AVA runs precisely west to east starting near the coast. The valley funnels cool, Pacific Ocean air to the vineyards more inland, allowing grapes a longer hang time to ripen evenly and achieve their full potential by harvest time. Combined with minimal rainfall, consistent warm sunshine, and well-drained soils, it is an ideal environment for grape growing.
Many of the wineries here are small and highly respected, having established a reputation in the 1970s and 80s for producing excellent Central Coast wines like Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. More recently, Syrah has also proven quite successful in the region. Many vineyards are owned by growers who sell their grapes to other wineries, so it is common to see the same vineyard name on bottlings from different wineries. Bien Nacido Vineyard is perhaps the best-known and most prestigious.