Bien Nacido Estate Collection Chardonnay 2022

Bien Nacido Estate Collection Chardonnay 2022
13.5% alcohol, cork, Santa Maria Valley.

I visited Bien Nacido Estate as part of a focus on sustainability in the Californian wine industry. I came away both impressed with the sustainability focus – “sustainability is the starting point to making a better product,” vineyard manager Greg Gonzalez said – and excited by the wines themselves. This chardonnay was the first wine from the estate that I tasted. The first sip shot my pulse upwards a few notches. From that moment on, throughout this visit, I felt enlivened.

Bien Nacido Estate Collection Chardonnay 2022 is seriously good. It’s so powerful but, also, so balanced. Stonefriut, melon, cream, honey, cedar and woodsmoke characters invigorate the palate, the latter skirting close to smoked bacon. But at every step, the fruit is the champion of this wine, as is the length. This chardonnay spins very close to ‘wow’ territory. It’s a gorgeous wine. 95 points.