2023 Diatom Chardonnay (750ml)

Chardonnay from Santa Barbara, California

B-21 Top Recommendation
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Fans of winemaker Greg Brewer’s pure and precise Santa Barbara County Chardonnays won’t need convincing to stock up on the new vintage of the elegant 93 pt. 2023 Diatom Chardonnay, transparently expressing the essence of fragrant Santa Rita Hills Chardonnay with shimmering minerality on a vibrant, saline finish and a “screaming value” according to Jeb Dunnuck that over delivers.

Described as “the purest possible expression of Chardonnay from this region” by the Wine Independent’s Lisa Perrotti-Brown, veteran winemaker Greg Brewer established Diatom in 2005 in the Central Coast’s Santa Rita Hills AVA to capture Chardonnay in its “most pure and unadulterated state,” naming it for the region’s distinctive marine sedimentary soils of fossilized plankton among the largest deposits in the world. Sourced from the Mission Hills Vineyard in Los Alamos, the low yielding Chardonnay vines produce smaller clusters and tiny berries that enhance concentration and depth, while cooling breezes funneling off the Pacific allow for longer ripening and flavor development and preserve the grapes’ natural acidity. Renowned as the co-founder of Brewer-Clifton and Melville with over three decades of winemaking experience, Brewer employed a non-interventionist approach to craft the 2023 Diatom, forgoing the use of oak and malolactic fermentation, an often-employed technique known for producing a softer, more buttery style of Chardonnay and instead producing a crisp, clean Chardonnay in a style reminiscent of Chablis. Fermented and matured in 100% stainless steel, the refined 2023 Diatom Chardonnay beautifully balances bright, lively fruit with refreshing, mineral-tinged acidity, reflecting Brewer’s signature style of “vibrant purity and freshness, with plenty of textural richness on the palate” according to Jeb Dunnuck and a mouthwatering finish that begs for another sip.

From a unique terroir described as producing “natural tight acidity, tension, and an ocean-kissed salinity” by Decanter’s Jessica Dupuy, Greg Brewer’s impeccably balanced 93 pt. 2023 Diatom Chardonnay is richly layered with nuanced complexity and refreshing acidity, crafted by a masterful winemaker to transparently reflect its Santa Rita Hills origins and an incredible value bargain priced for savvy Chard lovers to scoop up by the case.

93WS

This stunning wine leaps out of the glass, with concentrated flavors and aromas of white peach, quince and pineapple, plus floral accents of orange blossoms and lemon curd. Finishes with mouthwatering acidity, a note of crunchy sea salt minerality and a whiff of lemon verbena. Drink now.

93 points, MaryAnn Worobiec, Wine Spectator (May 2024)

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$19.98

Compare At: $22.99

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