95pts Vinous

The 2023 Chardonnay Our Lady of Guadalupe shows what this site is capable of in a more favorable year. Bright yet dense, the 2023 possesses notable freshness, vibrancy and cut. Apricot, orange peel and passion fruit emerge in the glass. This is an exotic, deep, explosive Chardonnay.

Winemaker's Notes

An alluring pale liquid gold shimmers in the glass with abounding aromatics from the get-go. Ripe Meyer lemon, apricot, crème brulée, wet stone, fresh palmier, brioche and a touch of Marcona almond. On the palate, the 2023 OLG Chardonnay is deeply layered with notes of lemon custard, white peach and orange pith that ripple across the mid with tension and density. Concentrated through the finish, the wine closes with a touch of praline and mouthwatering acidity.

About the Wine

This vintage was textbook by all accounts — a long cool growing season led to ideal ripening conditions and gorgeous fruit. The Old Wente clone of Chardonnay was
exactly what we were hoping for with small and large berries intermixed on clusters, known as the “Hens and Chicks ”, providing for a natural complexity. For our second Chardonnay release, we decided to capture what we liked most about our debut vintage, a specific type of new French oak barrel. Therefore, the 2023 OLG
Chardonnay , fermented and aged in 70% New French Oak, used exclusively one type of barrel from one cooperage . In other words, we put all our eggs in one basket … a pretty darn good basket!

About the Winery

In the summer of 2021, Dave Phinney decided to produce his own wine from the Our Lady of Guadalupe Vineyard, giving him complete control in the vineyard and cellar. Simply put, this is the only project in the United States where Dave makes wine from a vineyard he owns. 

Our team works together to grow and harvest fruit in the western-most section of the famed Sta. Rita Hills AVA. Gentle winemaking techniques, a complementary barrel program and a focus on blending Pinot Noir clones, are our guiding principles to bring the vineyard to you.

Winemaker: Dave Phinney

Assistant Winemaker: Chris Hussey

Blend: 100% Chardonnay from the Our Lady of Guadalupe Vineyard (Old Wente Clone)