The 2019 Chardonnay “Central Coast” bottling is Sandhi Wines first release of this cuvée, which hails from several vineyard sources, including Bien Nacido, Phelan Farm, Spanish Springs, Talley and McIntyre, with many of these planted to relatively old vines. The wine is barrel-fermented and raised in neutral casks and puncheons. The bouquet wafts from the glass in a youthful blend of apple, a touch of fresh pineapple, a complex base of salty soil tones, dried flowers and just a whisper of vanillin oak from the older oak. On the palate the wine is bright, full-bodied and very nicely balanced, with a good core, fine mineral undertow, zesty acids and a long, nascently complex finish. This is fairly tightly-knit out of the blocks and will show more complexity with a bit of bottle age, but in a pinch, it is already pretty tasty juice. I love the backend lift here!

This was previously called "Chardonnay Santa Barbara County," but winemaker Sashi Moorman says they've begun sourcing fruit from other areas of California like San Luis Obispo County and the Santa Lucia Highlands, so this will be known by the wider Central Coast appellation moving forward. The 2019 Chardonnay Central Coast opens with touches of flint, stone and white blossoms with crunchy tree fruits and bright citrusy accents. The palate is much more open-knit at this early stage, fleshing out to yellow apples and honey in a silky texture with bright freshness and a long, delicate finish. 6,500 cases were made. - EB