2020 Bien Nacido Estate, Chardonnay, Santa Maria Valley, California, USA
Critics reviews
The 2020 Chardonnay Estate Bien Nacido Vineyard is a gorgeous wine that shows the more overt side of this site. Apricot, tangerine peel, chamomile and tropical accents are dialled up. The 2020 is quite rich and extroverted, but there is plenty of acids that add brightness. The 2020 emerges from two blocks planted in 1973 on own-rooted vines.
Anthony Avila turned out a gorgeous set of wines at both Bien Nacido Estate and Solomon Hills Estate. Avila commented that yields were generous in 2020 because of good set. Skins were light though, so extractions took some time. The Chardonnays were mostly off before the worst of the heat, while spikes were harder on the later-ripening varieties. In this vintage, the Pinots were fully destemmed.
Drink 2022 - 2028
Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com (August 2022)
The 2020 Chardonnay Estate comes from the own-rooted old vines planted in 1973. It has pretty scents of golden apples, burnt lemon peel, dried tarragon and lots of spicy accents with a gentle creaminess in the background. Medium-bodied and satiny, the palate boasts concentrated citrus underpinned by sparks of mineral character and bright acidity, finishing long and mineral-driven.
Drink 2022 - 2027
Erin Brooks, Wine Advocate (December 2022)
With steep slopes and rocky soils at 200m-300m and subject to cooling breezes from the Pacific Ocean, Bien Nacido is one of the prime vineyards in the Santa Maria Valley. This was whole cluster-pressed, then barrel-fermented with native yeasts. It then spent 16 months on lees in 45% new French oak.
Ronan Sayburn MS: Well-structured, lean and fresh with greengages, apricots and tangerine peel. Gentle use of oak in the background. Eugenio
Egorov: Super-precise and elegant. Very fresh fruit – lime peel, white peach and starfruit – with a pleasant note of vanilla and great acidity. Ben
Gubbins: This reminds me of a good Cote d’Or blanc, with its green apple, citrus and white peach aromas, a savoury edge, good acidity and well-judged oak.
Drink 2023 - 2033
Ronan Sayburn MS, Eugenio Egorov, Ben Gubbins, Decanter.com (June 2023)
Lots of classic buttered stone fruits, toasted hazelnut, and chalky minerality as well as some salty marine nuances emerge from the 2020 Estate Chardonnay, a rich, concentrated, balanced, age-worthy Chardonnay from this great site. Give it a few years and enjoy over the following decade. It was fermented and aged in 45% new French oak and bottled unfined and unfiltered.
These are brilliant wines across the board from Bien Nacido’s Anthony Avila, who has been at the estate since 2013. The farming here is managed by Chris Hammell, and this all-star team is delivering the goods.
Drink 2024 - 2034
Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com (August 2022)
About this WINE
Bien Nacido Estate
Located in the Santa Maria Valley of California's Central Coast, Bien Nacido Estate has a rich history dating back to the early 1970s when it was founded by the Millers, a farming family. The name "Bien Nacido" translates to "well born" in Spanish, reflecting the region's fertile soil and favourable climate.
More specifically, the vineyard is situated in the northern part of Santa Barbara County, which benefits from the unique maritime influence, with cool breezes from the nearby Pacific Ocean moderating temperatures and extending the growing season.
The terroir of Bien Nacido is characterised by its well-drained soils, predominantly made up of gravelly loam. Combined with the cool climate, this provides ideal conditions for growing premium wine grapes, particularly Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, along with other varietals such as Syrah and Nebbiolo.
The vineyard management at Bien Nacido strongly emphasises sustainability and environmental stewardship. Practices such as organic farming, water conservation, and habitat preservation are prioritised to ensure the land's long-term health.
Santa Maria Valley
Located in Santa Barbara County, California, Santa Maria Valley is known for its unique climate, known as the Santa Maria Valley AVA (American Viticultural Area), which significantly influences the winemaking process and the resulting wines.
The climate is typically cool and moderate, strongly influenced by the nearby Pacific Ocean. The region experiences a combination of maritime and inland influences, with foggy mornings, mild days, and cool evenings. This unique climate helps to preserve the natural acidity and delicate flavours of the grapes, making it ideal for producing high-quality wines.
Several grape varieties thrive in the region, with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay being the most prominent. Pinot Noir grapes benefit from the region’s cooler climate, producing wines with complexity, elegance, and bright red fruit flavours. Chardonnay grapes also flourish in the Valley’s climate, producing wines with crisp acidity and balanced flavours.
The Winemakers focus on minimal intervention and sustainable practices, allowing the unique characteristics of the grapes and terroir to shine through in the wines. Many wineries employ traditional winemaking methods, including hand-harvesting the grapes and using open-top fermentation vessels for red wines. Some producers also use oak ageing to add complexity and texture to their wines.
The Santa Maria Valley is home to several notable wineries and vineyards, each contributing to the region’s reputation for producing exceptional wines. One of the most renowned wineries in the area is Au Bon Climat.
Chardonnay
Chardonnay is often seen as the king of white wine grapes and one of the most widely planted in the world It is suited to a wide variety of soils, though it excels in soils with a high limestone content as found in Champagne, Chablis, and the Côte D`Or.
Burgundy is Chardonnay's spiritual home and the best White Burgundies are dry, rich, honeyed wines with marvellous poise, elegance and balance. They are unquestionably the finest dry white wines in the world. Chardonnay plays a crucial role in the Champagne blend, providing structure and finesse, and is the sole grape in Blanc de Blancs.
It is quantitatively important in California and Australia, is widely planted in Chile and South Africa, and is the second most widely planted grape in New Zealand. In warm climates Chardonnay has a tendency to develop very high sugar levels during the final stages of ripening and this can occur at the expense of acidity. Late picking is a common problem and can result in blowsy and flabby wines that lack structure and definition.
Recently in the New World, we have seen a move towards more elegant, better- balanced and less oak-driven Chardonnays, and this is to be welcomed.
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Description
With steep slopes and rocky soils at 200m-300m and subject to cooling breezes from the Pacific Ocean, Bien Nacido is one of the prime vineyards in the Santa Maria Valley. This was whole cluster-pressed, then barrel-fermented with native yeasts. It then spent 16 months on lees in 45% new French oak.
Ronan Sayburn MS: Well-structured, lean and fresh with greengages, apricots and tangerine peel. Gentle use of oak in the background. Eugenio
Egorov: Super-precise and elegant. Very fresh fruit – lime peel, white peach and starfruit – with a pleasant note of vanilla and great acidity. Ben
Gubbins: This reminds me of a good Cote d’Or blanc, with its green apple, citrus and white peach aromas, a savoury edge, good acidity and well-judged oak.
Drink 2023 - 2033
Ronan Sayburn MS, Eugenio Egorov, Ben Gubbins, Decanter.com (June 2023)
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