Pessagno Winery Santa Lucia Highlands Chardonnay 2013
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Winemaker Notes
Pair this wine with grilled chicken, pork or creamy pasta dishes.
Other Vintages
2010-
Wine
Enthusiast
Established in 1999 with family and friends, Pessagno Winery is nestled in the scenic Santa Lucia Highlands of Monterey county overlooking the Salinas River where cool climate Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes flourish.
All Pessagno wines are styled for elegance, balance, and finesse, with an emphasis on the maximum varietal character of the grape and respect for the unique expression of each vineyard's Terroir.
Each vineyard is carefully selected for the high quality of its fruit and meticulously overseen during the growing season to intensify the aromas and flavors of the grapes. The wines are handcrafted in separate lots using only the finest winemaking techniques and traditional French oak barrels.
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.
Perhaps the most highly regarded appellation within Monterey County, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA benefits from a combination of warm morning sunshine and brisk afternoon breezes, allowing grapes to ripen slowly and fully. The result is concentrated, flavorful wines that retain their natural acidity. Wineries here do not shy away from innovation, and place a high priority on sustainable viticultural practices.
The climatic conditions here are perfectly suited to the production of ripe, rich Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. These Burgundian varieties dominate an overwhelming percentage of plantings, though growers have also found success with Syrah, Riesling and Pinot Gris.