In the glass, this Sta Lucia Highlands Chard has a dehydrated straw center with pale yellow edges that bleed out all the way into a thin translucent halo….
A sniff is HEAVEN ——–> There are buckets of peaches and nectarines before a hint of lemon zest accompanies just a touch of subtle oak… The nose on this bad boy is balanced as ALL GET OUT….
My first sip is admittedly too cold and I’m hit with tart green apples and limeade (I make the mistakes so you don’t have to….) when I let the wine warm to an appropriate temp, my revisit starts with ripe pears and mandarin oranges ———–> The mid-palate is more of the lemon zest that I got on the nose before a finish that shows just a tiny bit of toasty oak that sits behind candied honeydew and cantaloupe….
Alrighty folks, here’s another one from Caraccioli Cellars that certainly doesn’t disappoint ———–> If you’re a glutton for the overly oaked expressions of Cali Chard, keep on walkin…. But if you’re into a structured and ridiculously well-balanced white, give this guy a whirl!!!!!
2016 Caraccioli Cellars “Chardonnay” Santa Lucia Highlands CA
Wines on the Range 