Santa Maria Valley

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Puerta de Mar (literally: “Door to the Sea”) is a new vineyard that we are excited about! Planted ½ mile east of highway 1 just outside of Lompoc, it trumps Kick On Ranch as our coolest vineyard site. It’s located so far west that the original creators of the Santa Rita Hills appellation didn’t think it was possible to ripen grapes here, thus it wasn’t included within the growing region’s boundaries. Call it ignorance or the influence of global warming, they were clearly wrong! Admittedly the pinot noir and chardonnay grown here ripen late, but the wines are better for it and possess an admirable subtlety that I attribute to the ocean’s ever-present influence.

Southern California has a reputation of always having the same weather, but it’s actually quite variable—one summer might be hot and the next foggy—and that greatly affects the grape’s composition and ultimately how the wine will taste. This 2014 shows off the vintage’s generous and easygoing nature. A treat to taste now, it has everything in place to age gracefully for years.

Blend: 100% Chardonnay | Alc: 13.5% | Vinification: Barrel Fermented in 10% New French Oak | Barrel Aging: 11 Months | Total Production: 311 cases

Press Reviews

Antonio Galloni’s Vinous

“The 2014 Chardonnay Puerta del Mar is soft, open-knit and gracious, all of which make it an excellent choice for drinking over the next few years. Pear, white flowers, mint and white pepper give the 2014 its characteristic aromatic top notes. Drink this delicate, racy Chardonnay over the next few years.” – AG 91 Points

Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate

“From a vineyard recently purchased by Jonata, the 2014 Chardonnay Puerta del Mar is another classy Chardonnay that offers exotic notes of green citrus, mint and flowers in its pretty, elegant and lightly textured personality. I don’t think it will be the longest lived release, but it’s certainly impressive today.” – JD 92 Points