Fess Parker Bien Nacido Vineyard Chardonnay 2019
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Wine
Spectator -
Wine
Enthusiast -
Jeb
Dunnuck -
Robert
Parker
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Aromas and flavors of golden apple, citrus, orange zest, lemon meringue, baked pear, vanilla, beeswax, croissants, baking spices and toasted oak.
Professional Ratings
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Vinous
The 2019 Chardonnay Bien Nacido Vineyard offers a beguiling mix of vibrancy and the textural complexity that is such a signature of this site. There is a feeling of transparency to the 2019 that is so alluring. Chalk, white flowers, citrus and white pepper all feature in this decidedly chiseled Chardonnay.
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Wine Spectator
Very fresh and sleek, with sea salt accents to the mineral and crisp green apple flavors. The powerfully structured and zesty finish shows hints of dried savory herbs.
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Wine Enthusiast
Chalky aromas of wet earth and lime pith show on the nose of this single-vineyard expression, Seared orange and wet gravel show on the sip, with a lemon-pith acidity leading through the crushed stone minerality.
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2019 Chardonnay Bien Nacido Vineyard is even better, with slightly more minerality in its crushed citrus, salted lime, flowers, and marine-influenced aromas and flavors. It’s medium-bodied, tight, and focused, and should open up nicely with a year in bottle.
Rating:91+ -
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2019 Chardonnay Bien Nacido Vineyard is scented of toasty yellow apple fruit with notes of flint and crushed almonds. The palate is light-bodied with a touch of anchoring texture, delicate but appealing nutty flavors and a refreshing finish.
Other Vintages
2018-
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Wine &
Spirits -
Jeb
Dunnuck -
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Wilfred
Wong
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Enthusiast -
Jeb
Dunnuck -
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Spectator -
Robert
Parker
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Wine &
Spirits -
Jeb
Dunnuck -
Wine
Enthusiast
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Robert
Parker -
Wine
Enthusiast -
Jeb
Dunnuck -
Wine
Spectator
Established in 1989, the Fess Parker Winery has a long history in Santa Barbara Wine Country and is well known for its small-lot, hand harvested, vineyard-designated, and clonal selection Rhône and Burgundian varietals.
The winery specializes in estate grown Syrah, Riesling, and Viognier as well as Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from the Sta. Rita Hills and Santa Maria Valley AVA’s. Outstanding fruit sources, including some of the finest vineyards in the county, coupled with skilled winemaking, led by Blair Fox, form the foundation for the winery’s success. Fess Parker Winery’s estate vineyard, Rodney’s, received its SIP (Sustainable in Practice) Certification in 2020.
Now three generations in, the Fess Parker Family is proud to carry on Fess’s legacy of wine heritage and hospitality in Santa Barbara.
One of the most popular and versatile white wine grapes, Chardonnay offers a wide range of flavors and styles depending on where it is grown and how it is made. While it tends to flourish in most environments, Chardonnay from its Burgundian homeland produces some of the most remarkable and longest lived examples. California produces both oaky, buttery styles and leaner, European-inspired wines. Somm Secret—The Burgundian subregion of Chablis, while typically using older oak barrels, produces a bright style similar to the unoaked style. Anyone who doesn't like oaky Chardonnay would likely enjoy Chablis.
With a dry and mild climate cooled significantly by moist ocean fog and breezes, Santa Barbara County is a grape-grower’s dream. Part of the larger Central Coast appellation, Santa Barbara is home to Santa Maria Valley and Santa Ynez Valley. The conditions here provide an opportunity for nearly effortless production of high-quality cool-climate Central Coast wines. This is also the site of the 2004 film Sideways, which caused Pinot Noir’s popularity to skyrocket and brought new acclaim to the region.
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are the stars of Santa Barbara, producing wines marked by racy acidity. Crisp Sauvignon Blanc and savory Syrah are also important. The region is home to many young and enthusiastic winemakers eager to experiment with less common varieties including Chenin Blanc, Grüner Veltliner, Trousseau Gris, Gamay and Cabernet Franc, making it an exciting area to watch.