2019 La Pelle Chardonnay Bien Nacido Vineyard Block I Santa Maria Valley 750 ml

The 2019 La Pelle Chardonnay Bien Nacido Vineyard Block I, crafted by 100-point winemaker Maayan Koschitzky, is one of the most incredible Chardonnays we've tasted this year. 

This is a truly special bottling from one of the most precious parcels of Chardonnay vines in the Golden State: Block I of Santa Maria Valley’s storied Bien Nacido Vineyard. It’s the kind of wine we open when we're craving a California Chardonnay of Bugundian minerality and liveliness, and endless character. 

Maayan’s wine dazzles from the beginning, and gets better with every single sip. Offering beguiling aromas of sliced yellow apples and lemon zest accented by dried chamomile, honey, and pulverized stones, it’s creamy on the palate, with a jolt of bright acid and flinty minerality that sweeps the senses on the long and complex finish. The modest 12.5% alcohol level just underscores Bien Nacido's brisk climate, and the wine's Burgundian influence—and elegance.

Bien Nacido is one of the most famous vineyards in the New World. Located in the Santa Maria Valley on California’s Central Coast, it’s been named one of the “Top 25 Vineyards in the World” by Wine & Spirits, one of the “Top Five California Vineyards” by the Wall Street Journal, and one of “California’s Grand Cru Chardonnay Vineyards” by Wine Enthusiast.

Block I is a completely unique portion of this sacred vineyard, encompassing less than 2% of its Chardonnay. The parcel was planted back in 1973, which means that its vines are nearing a half-century in age. Because they grow in pest-resistant sandy soils, these old vines have never had to be grafted onto American rootstock, and they are now producing tiny quantities of Chardonnay berries that absolutely brim with flavor and character.

Maayan and his partners at La Pelle—Miguel Luna and Pete Richmond, both of the renowned Silverado Farming Company—all thought it would be incredible if they could work with Block I, so Maayan and Miguel called down to Santa Maria seeking fruit. Sorry, they were told (on separate occasions), but the wait list was several years long. 

Eventually, Pete picked up the phone. Before Pete founded Silverado, he got his start working at Bien Nacido—and evidently, as the founder of one of California’s most respected vineyard management companies, his name carries a little weight. With Pete on the phone, the wait list miraculously disappeared, and La Pelle had scored a tiny amount of Block I Chardonnay. 

Maayan approached the precious fruit with a hands-off approach, opting for native fermentation and malolactic, 15 months in barrel (just 20% new), and minimal sulfur addition... and the result is one of the most fascinating and delightful Chardonnays we've had from California. We feel lucky to have it, and know everyone who takes home a few bottles of our tiny allocation will feel the same way.