Yes, chardonnay is out
of fashion. But the dirty little secret is that those really disgusting,
flabby, overly oaked monsters from that other wine district are
the cause of this grape variety’s loss of appeal. Smart buyers
know that Santa Barbara County area chardonnays are much better
and, in this market, inexpensive as well. This wine, from the
low crop 2001 vintage, has amazing concentration and richness,
and it finds its balance from the great acidity that only cool
climate chardonnay can deliver.