Chardonnay, Kutch 2020

From an own-rooted vineyard planted in 1972, at 1400 ft, 3 miles from the Pacific (it’s Bohan Vineyard), this is fermented in French oak (20% new) and has minimum effective SO2 added. It’s sensational. Taut, fine and lemony with keen acidity, but no feeling of compression. There’s generous crystalline citrus fruit with a fine, spicy structure and a touch of salinity on the finish. Very pure and focused, but offering real complexity at low alcohol. There’s just a faint hint of mineral reduction and everything is in perfect harmony. This would be so hard to place tasted blind. I really love it.

Full bottle 1,412 g. Vineyard located 3.05 miles from the Pacific, planted in 1972, Goldridge and sandy loam soils. Hand-harvested on 31 August. Spontaneous fermentation, whole-bunch pressed and aged in French oak barrels (20% new). A miraculous amount of information is given on the back label! Ten barrels produced. Very pale greenish straw-gold. Lightly reductive nose with some passion fruit and lime aromas. Tight and cool-tasting but with a good depth of ripe fruit. Extremely precise winemaking, This may be Kutch's least expensive Chardonnay but it certainly doesn't taste 'entry level'. Bravo!