I mentioned previously that I took some of my new girlfriends to Hollister in San Benito County to explore their wines back in August 2019. The drive out was on a rough and windy road (funny, we don’t remember that coming back…). We started out at Calera, where we had our picnic lunches outside in 90-degree heat (really sweltering for us Central Coast gals). The wines were presented in flight stemware servers. The wines were great and the experience, special!
Calera, part of the Duckhorn family of wines, is known primary for its Pinot Noirs from Mt. Harlan, but today’s wine is a Chardonnay, so I am focusing on that story. From www.calerawine.com: “Josh Jensen’s winemaker mentors in Burgundy were adamant that pinot noir and chardonnay must be grown in limestone-rich soils…to make great wines. Upon his return from France in 1971 he spent two years searching throughout California to find limestone…In early 1974, Josh Jensen purchased a high-elevation parcel with a limestone deposit of several million tons. Located 100 miles south of San Francisco and about 37 miles inland from the Pacific Ocean, the limestone-rich parcel is found near Mt. Harlan in San Benito County. Its elevation at 2,200 feet above sea level makes it one of the highest and coolest vineyard properties in California.” “Calera” is the Spanish word for “limekiln.”
Calera 2016 Chardonnay, Central Coast, 14.2% ABV, $25 (#64*)
About the 2016 vintage: “After five years of drought, we welcomed a return to normal winter rainfall in 2016…After a warm spring led to an early budbreak, summer seemed to arrive quickly on the Central Coast. While, we had abundant warmth in July and August, cool evenings allowed the grapes to mature perfectly, and harvest commenced in mid-August. While the grapes were small and dense, good-sized clusters delivered yields close to our annual averages…”
The Calera 2016 Central Coast Chardonnay is 100% Chardonnay, aged 10 months in 90% neutral French oak. The grapes come from San Benito, Santa Barbara, Monterey, and San Luis Obispo counties, making it truly “Central Coast.” From the winemaker: “Vibrant and inviting, this wine captures the essence of Chardonnay grown on the cool, windswept Central Coast. Aromas of jasmine, vanilla bean and passion fruit rise from the glass revealing this wine’s youthful charm. On the beautifully fruit-driven palate, layers of green apple, grapefruit and pineapple are framed by subtle oak and a refreshing acidity that carry the flavors to a bright, focused finish.”
Wine Enthusiast Review – 91 points: “The nose of this wine is sharp and precise in tones of chalk, tangerine cream, dried lemon and crushed nuts. There’s a strong mineral quality through the entire palate that accents flavors of lemon juice and yellow pear.” MATT KETTMANN
My Review: The wine is a golden color, with aromas of peach and pear, and pineapple notes. It is a big, delicious, mouthfilling, a little bit oaky Chardonnay, with a little bitter lemon-lime on the finish. We enjoyed this Chardonnay very much, both back at last August’s tasting and during our Shelter-in-Place. This is a keeper.
You can purchase the current vintage (2018) for $25 on their webpage here.
*Refers to wines tasted while Sheltering in Place on Sharon’s personal Facebook group “Sharon’s Central Coast (Monterey) Wine Blog” – including non-Central Coast wines.
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