2018 Migration Santa Maria Valley Chardonnay Bien Nacido Vineyard
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Highlighting lush, layered flavors, bright acidity and impeccably balanced French oak, Migration is dedicated to crafting wines from the finest cool-climate winegrowing regions. Established in 1973, Bien Nacido has earned a reputation as one of California’s premier vineyards. Our prized blocks include original 1973 plantings, as well as vines planted in 1991. Grown in soils with abundant limestone, these older vines produce a gorgeous Chardonnay with complex minerality, a lovely texture and multilayered citrus and orange blossom flavors.
Wine Spectator
92
Wine Enthusiast
95
Wine Profile
Production Notes
Varietal Composition: 100% Chardonnay
Winemaker Notes
The famed Bien Nacido Vineyard has once again yielded a radiant Chardonnay with bright acidity and beautiful aromas of Meyer lemon, Fuji apple and fresh-cut straw. On the palate, a touch of sweet French oak adds depth to the citrus and orchard fruit flavors, with a rich, harmonious structure carrying the wine to a long resonant finish.
Production
The 2018 growing season in Santa Barbara County provided a summer that alternated between mild and warm, with a cool autumn that allowed the grapes to remain on the vine until they reached ideal ripeness. While the quality of the grapes was phenomenal, our overall yields for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir were down due to the extremely small size of the clusters and berries. The majority of our fruit was harvested in late September, yielding wines with beautifully balanced acidity, exceptional weight and texture, and complex varietal flavors. Overall, it was a fantastic harvest and an absolutely stellar vintage.
Wine Specs
Wine Specs
Vintage
2018
Varietal
Chardonnay
Appellation
Santa Maria Valley
Vineyard Designation
Bien Nacido Vineyard
Acid
0.65g/100ml
pH
3.30
Aging
Aged 10 months in 100% French oak 38% new
Fermentation
75% malolactic fermentation
Alcohol %
13.9
Wine Spectator
92
Wine Enthusiast
95
