Tyler Winery Sanford and Benedict Chardonnay 2020
-
Robert
Parker -
James
Suckling
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
These old vines consistently provide a nuance and depth, with the vineyards signature chalk and salinity being carried across the palate and beautifully complemented by the natural richness offered by this site.
Professional Ratings
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2020 Chardonnay Sanford & Benedict Vineyard segues from wafts of matchstick and saline to baked peaches and apples, pie crust, beeswax and loads of spicy undertones. The palate is mouthwatering, full, ripe and savory, with a satiny texture and very long finish, yet it's most compelling for its balance of generous fruit and energetic, almost buzzing acidity. Best After 2022
-
James Suckling
A dense and layered chardonnay with cooked apple, lemon rind and chalk. Full and layered with pretty density and length. Rounded. Old vine chardonnay. Drink or hold.
Other Vintages
2021-
Robert
Parker
-
Robert
Parker - Decanter
-
Robert
Parker
-
Robert
Parker
- Vinous
-
Robert
Parker
-
Robert
Parker
We believe wine should be elegant and honest, and must possess aromatic purity.
In order to best convey the individuality of each site, we try to be modern in our thinking and classic in our approach. Great effort had been made not only to seek out vineyards of pedigree, but also to seek out vines with age. We now work with a number of the oldest vineyard blocks in the County and believe this is essential in our quest for both purity and intesity. Furthermore, close collaboration with each of our growers along with focused, minimal handling of fruit and wine allow us the best opportunity to achieve our goals.
We currently produce 12 different bottlings each year from 22 parcels within 7 different vineyard sites. Total production is approximately 2500 cases annually.
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 superior source of California Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, Sta. Rita Hills is the coolest, westernmost sub-region of the larger Santa Ynez Valley appellation within Santa Barbara County. This relatively new AVA is unquestionably one to keep an eye on.
The climate of Sta. Rita Hills is a natural match for Chardonnay and Pinot noir, thanks to the crisp ocean breezes and well-drained, limestone-rich calcareous soil. Here, grapes ripen just enough, while retaining brisk acidity and harmonious balance.