Wines from Santa Maria Valley
Showing 1 thru -9 of 751
Tantara 2004 Evelyn Pinot Noir (Santa Maria Valley)
- Editors' Choice
- $80
Stunning. Just magnificent. This is from Tantara’s little Bien Nacido block. It achieves wonderfully ripe fruit flavors with clean, balancing tannins and acids to produce the utmost California cool-climate Pinot Noir. Cherries, raspberries, cola, rich new oak and Asian spice flavors all flood the palate, wrapped into a dramatic silky, velvety texture. This is great…
— S.H.
(12/31/2006)
Qupé 2005 Bien Nacido X Block The Good Nacido Syrah (Santa Maria Valley)
- Online Exclusive
- $95
Fantastic, fabulous, a stupendously good Syrah that shows off Bien Nacido at its most perfect. Totally dry, with sturdy but ultra-refined tannins, it displays massive waves of blackberries, black currants, blueberries, smoked meat, violets, sandalwood and black pepper. Just beginning to find its groove, it should develop for many years.
— S.H.
(10/1/2009)
Qupé 2006 Bien Nacido Vineyard 25th Anniversary X-Block The Good Nacido Syrah (Santa Maria Valley)
- $100
A gigantic wine, one of the most powerful Syrahs in memory. Shows fabulously rich tannins from stem fermentation, sweet, spicy and earthy. The aromas and flavors are of mushrooms, grilled meat, blackberries, cherries, cola, black pepper and smoky cedar. Extraordinary depth and complexity, a very great California Syrah. Could soar off the charts in the next 2–3 years.
— S.H.
(10/1/2011)
Au Bon Climat 2006 Santa Barbara Historic Vineyards Collection Bien Nacido Vineyard Chardonnay (Santa Maria Valley)
- Editors' Choice
- $35
Chardonnay doesn’t get much better than this. Bursts with grilled pineapple-infused crème brûlée, peach pie, butter-sautéed banana, passion fruit and butterscotch flavors, dusted with cinnamon and brown sugar. Yet all that opulence is balanced by perfect acidity. Totally gorgeous.
— S.H.
(10/1/2009)
Rusack 2008 Reserve Chardonnay (Santa Maria Valley)
- Editors' Choice
- Online Exclusive
- $32
Guaranteed to please the most discriminating Chardonnay fans for its dry crispness, great structure and endless opulence. Massively complex, offering waves of grilled pineapple, pear, buttered toast and smoky vanilla. The grapes came mainly from Bien Nacido Vineyard, with the balance from Sierra Madre. Only 338 cases produced.
— S.H.
(8/1/2010)
Foxen 2010 Block UU Bien Nacido Vineyard Chardonnay (Santa Maria Valley)
- Editors' Choice
- $32
You want decadence, opulence and fabulosity in your Chardonnay? This one’s for you. It’s tremendous in ripe pineapple, pear, peach, mango, lime, tangerine and papaya flavors. So much fruit, while the oak application is never heavy handed, applying just the right touch of buttered toast. Where does all that vanilla honey come from? A magnificent example of a…
— S.H.
(12/15/2011)
Longoria 2007 Bien Nacido Vineyard Pinot Noir (Santa Maria Valley)
- Online Exclusive
- $45
Longoria has taken full advantage of the fine 2007 vintage in producing this massive, ageable Pinot Noir. It stuns with the richness of black cherries and red currants that have an edge of cocoa and pepper, yet finishes totally dry, with balancing acidity. Best of all is the authoritative mouthfeel. This gorgeous Pinot is very great now, and should evolve through…
— S.H.
(11/1/2009)
Au Bon Climat 2008 20 Years in the Shed with Bob at Bien Nacido Pinot Noir (Santa Maria Valley)
- $75
A stunning Pinot Noir. Feels soft as silk, yet crisp, tastes flamboyant yet controlled, a wine that contains many opposites. Made from a barrel selection of the best of winemaker Clendenen’s Bien Nacido Pinots, it’s superb to drink now. Hard to exaggerate its charms, with waves of spicy raspberries, cherries, cola and sandalwood. Really seductive and impressive.
— S.H.
(10/1/2011)
Showing 1 thru -9 of 751
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