The 2020 Racines Sta. Rita Hills Cuvée Chardonnay is an elegant and finely crafted expression of cool-climate California Chardonnay, bringing together the precision of Burgundy with the distinctive maritime character of the Sta. Rita Hills. Racines is a collaborative project involving Étienne de Montille, Brian Sieve, Rodolphe Péters and Justin Willett, created to express the purity and transparency of some of Santa Barbara's finest vineyards. The 2020 Cuvée is a blend sourced primarily from Wenzlau Family Vineyard and Rancho La Viña Vineyard, with the fruit fermented and aged using a restrained Burgundian approach and only around 10% new French oak.
The nose is refined and expressive, revealing aromas of lemon zest, lemon confit, apricot, white peach and tangerine, layered with soft white flowers, crushed chalk and a subtle touch of mint. As the wine opens, more savoury and complex notes of bruised apple, fresh herbs, cardamom, honey and gentle almond emerge. There is a wonderful sense of freshness and minerality throughout the aromatics, with the fruit remaining pure and precise rather than overtly rich or heavily influenced by oak.
On the palate, it is medium-bodied, vibrant and beautifully textured, combining ripe citrus and stone fruit with lively acidity and a distinctly mineral backbone. Flavours of grapefruit, lemon, apple and apricot unfold across the palate, supported by subtle savoury notes of crushed stone, wet earth and fresh herbs. The restrained oak allows the fruit and vineyard character to remain at the forefront, while the fine lees ageing contributes a silky, layered texture. The finish is long, energetic and saline, with citrus, mineral freshness, honey and gentle spice lingering beautifully. Decanter awarded the wine 93 points, highlighting its complexity, texture, chalky minerality and savoury character.
