Broad but precise in texture, this exudes green and yellow fruits interspersed with salted caramel and fennel. Justin Willett of Tyler Winery partnered with a group of mentors for the Racines label: Étienne de Montille and Brian Sieve of Domaine de Montille, as well as Rodolphe Péters of Champagne Pierre Péters for their still-in-the-works sparkling wine. The Sta. Rita Hills Chardonnay is built around the Wenzlau vineyard, and spends 12 months in barrel before being racked to tank for a further six months.

The 2018 Chardonnay Sta. Rita Hills Cuvee is bright, airy and wonderfully perfumed. Ethereal and gracious, the 2018 lifts out of the glass with striking aromatic presence to match its chiseled, mid-weight personality. This is one of the more nervy, taut Chardonnays readers will come across in 2018, and yet there is lovely breadth that emerges with a bit of time in the glass. Hints of lemon confit, white flower and marzipan linger nicely on the close. By Antonio Goiion/ on July 2020