2020 Racines Chardonnay Sta. Rita Hills Cuvée

Terroir

Sorento loam

Viticulture

A blend of Chardonnay from a few different parcels of the vineyards we work with all located in the Sta. Rita Hills, inlucing both Wenzlau Family Vineyard and Rancho la Viña Vineyard. Wenzlau Vineyard is part of our estate holdings and sits surrounded by Rita’s Crown, Mt. Carmel, and Sea Smoke Vineyards on a steep, dramatic hillside just above the Santa Ynez River and across from the famed Sanford & Benedict Vineyard.

Vinification

The wines were fermented in a combination of 500L puncheons and 228L barriques, resulting in about 10% new wood on the wine. After a little under a year in barrel, the wines and all the lees were moved to tank for an additional five months of cellaring. This is a wine that we believe best represents the potential of the region as a whole.

ELEVAGE
11 months - 10% new French oak - 5 months in stainless steel

Winery Description

Racines is a collaboration between two classic houses from France, led by vignerons Étienne de Montille and Brian Sieve of Burgundy and Rodolphe Péters of Champagne. The team came together to join their individual experiences in hand-crafting wines of purity and transparency to create a range of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from the cool climate of the Sta. Rita Hills in California.

The project is the first venture for Étienne and Rodolphe beyond France and represents the coming together of all that is wonderful about Burgundy, Champagne and California.

These wines confirm something many have long suspected: that if you are looking to make terroir driven, elegant, balanced wines in the new world, then Sta. Rita Hills is the place.