2019 Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay
Our Santa Cruz Mountains Estate Chardonnay showcases orchard fruits and brioche-scented aromas and flavors. It’s rounded, nicely textured, and balanced.
Production Notes
Cold, whole-cluster pressing, no settling, barrel fermentation with native yeast, and spontaneous malolactic fermentations highlight the wonderful purity inherent in our Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay. This ‘hand off’ approach in the cellar allows for maximum site expression.
Winemaker Notes
The 2019 vintage will go down as a classic year in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Unsettled weather in the spring resulted in poor flowering, and lower yields in some blocks. The summer was warm, but not oppressive. The lack of extreme heat events was a welcome change. Harvest began in mid-September, finishing up in mid to late October. The wines are concentrated with a fine balance of structure and fruit intensity. Site expression seems amplified; low yields and moderate temperatures often lead to some of our most singular and terroir driven wines.
Technical Data
Vintage
2019
Varietal
Chardonnay
Appellation
Santa Cruz Mountains
Vineyard Designation
Estate Blend
Acid
6.8
pH
3.33
Alcohol %
13.8
Wine Enthusiast
92
Other Notes
The 2019 Chardonnay (Santa Cruz Mountains) is such a beautiful wine. It is perhaps a bit more overt than most of the Chardonnays in the range, but I can't find fault in that, especially for a wine most people will drink young. Apricot, tangerine peel, baked apple tart and tropical accents are front and center in this mid-weight yet exuberant Chardonnay from Fogarty. - 92 points. Antonio Galloni, Vinous