Lucienne Lone Oak Vineyard Chardonnay 2018
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Aromas of fruity floral lychee, honeysuckle and ripe citrus with a hint of vanilla. The palate is feminine and dry in character, with delicate and elegant notes of silky citrus, hints of toasty oak and medium acidic finish.
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Cool breezes and morning fog from the Monterey Bay refresh this 146-acre certified sustainable vineyard, which sits at the northern end of SLH. Planted on east-facing slopes on well-drained, ancient alluvial soils, this truly stunning white offers some unique aromas and flavors. Beginning with scents of chamomile, cashew and orange marmalade, the flavor progress with seared pineapple, brioche, and lychee on first sip. Minerality is apparent, with a glide of lemon oil and white flower petals on the finish.
The inaugural release was the 2005 vintage which includes a Santa Lucia Highlands appellation and a Lone Oak single vineyard designation. The Lucienne Pinot Noir grapes were hand selected from very small and special blocks of the Doctor's and Lone Oak Vineyards. We wanted Lucienne to express a "sense of place" and we feel that these two wines are a perfect "marriage" of Pinot Noir styles with one more masculine and full-bodied and another more silky and elegant in nature.
Winemaker Paul Clifton crafts the Lucienne wines utilizing his passion for Pinot Noir and cool climate viticulture. The two wines—a Santa Lucia Highlands appellation and Lone Oak single vineyard designation—are produced in small quantities with the first vintage coming from 2005. The wines are focused and elegant with a silky mouthfeel and pure velvety Pinot Noir flavors.
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.
Perhaps the most highly regarded appellation within Monterey County, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA benefits from a combination of warm morning sunshine and brisk afternoon breezes, allowing grapes to ripen slowly and fully. The result is concentrated, flavorful wines that retain their natural acidity. Wineries here do not shy away from innovation, and place a high priority on sustainable viticultural practices.
The climatic conditions here are perfectly suited to the production of ripe, rich Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. These Burgundian varieties dominate an overwhelming percentage of plantings, though growers have also found success with Syrah, Riesling and Pinot Gris.