2023 Matthiasson Chardonnay Linda Vista Vineyard Napa Valley 750 ml

Steve Matthiasson is one of the most remarkable winemakers in California—a vineyard manager to the stars whose own wines have quietly reshaped the tenor of Napa Valley.

He is “one of the top viticulturists in Napa Valley,” raves Antonio Galloni in Vinous, but it’s what Matthiasson has done in the cellar that makes him a quiet revolutionary: Dialing back ripeness and oak long before it was fashionable, he harkens back to Napa wines of the 70s and 80s. It has earned him widespread plaudits: In naming Steve the Winemaker of the Year, the San Francisco Chronicle predicted: “If one person stands to rewrite the trajectory of California wine—in Napa's luxurious heart, no less—it is Steve Matthiasson.” 

In 2011, Steve Matthiasson took the leap that would define his approach to Napa Chardonnay, leasing the old Linda Vista Vineyard behind his house in West Oak Knoll and immediately converting it to organic farming. It’s ideally suited to Chardonnay, as its marine-origin clay soils and steady Pacific breezes preserve the zesty acidity that Matthiasson prizes above all. 

It’s turned into a calling card bottle, and in the cool 2023 growing season it’s a real gem. The  extended hang time allowed Matthiasson to craft his blend from nine separate picks, each contributing its distinct voice—early lots lending minerality and nerve, later harvests adding flesh and richness. In the cellar, his touch remains characteristically restrained: No new oak, no lees stirring, and partial malolactic fermentation for just a touch of creaminess.

That combination of Napa fruit and old-world restraint has made it a favorite of restaurants at the pinnacle of gastronomy—Geranium, in Copenhagen, named the World’s #1 Restaurant by San Pellegrino—proudly features Linda Vista Chard on their list and we’ve had (and poured) Steve’s bottles at PRESS, Bouchon, and Saison.

That kind of restaurant pedigree doesn't happen by accident—it's earned through a decade of consistently delivering wines that enhance rather than dominate the table.