Sea Smoke Chardonnay Sta. Rita Hills 2021 750ml

Bob Davids founded Sea Smoke in 1998 in the Sta. Rita Hills of Santa Barbara County, and Constellation Brands bought the estate in May 2024. The estate covers 1,100 acres, 256 of them planted and farmed biodynamically, and winemaker Don Schroeder makes the wines.

The Chardonnay is all estate fruit, from Dijon and Wente clones. The 2021 fermented in stainless steel and in French oak foudres and demi-muids, then matured ten months in French oak, 24% new. It was bottled unfined and unfiltered. The bottle has a cork.

The importer describes mango, honeysuckle, fresh-cut pear and honeydew, with nectarine, a slight nuttiness and cool-climate acidity on a focused palate.

Against Paul Hobbs, Sea Smoke is more powerful yet tighter; for a collectible California Chardonnay, choose Sea Smoke.

It drinks well now and should keep improving over the next decade. Serve it lightly chilled with lobster, halibut or roast chicken.

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