David Bruce Winery Santa Lucia Highland Chardonnay
WHY WE LOVE IT
- This Chardonnay is from Santa Lucia Highlands, a cool-climate appellation in Monterey County.
- The vineyard, planted with Vinifera grapes by Spanish missionaries in the 1790s, sits on east-facing terraces of the Santa Lucia Mountain range, south of the breezy Monterey Bay on California’s central coast.
- The Santa Lucia appellation features elevations from 40 to 2,000 feet and a cool maritime climate with winds at 10 to 15 mph, producing grapes with high phenolic levels and intense flavors.
- This Chardonnay is cultivated from approximately 800 feet, following the tradition of David Bruce’s Mountain Top Winery and Vineyard.
Varietal Composition: 100% Chardonnay
Elaboration: The grapes were hand-picked, pressed into small tanks, and cold settled for 72 hours before being transferred to 60-gallon oak barrels. After fermenting for 14 to 20 days at cool cellar temperatures, the Santa Lucia Highland Chardonnay was barrel-aged for 16 months before its release.
Tasting Notes: The nose reveals Meyer lemon, pineapple, kumquat, and tangerine, with hints of vanilla. The palate features lemon pie, pineapple juice, tangerine, and loquat, all balanced by bright acidity and mineral notes.
PRESS
n/a
PRODUCER BACKGROUND
David Bruce Winery is a California winery located in the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA above Silicon Valley in Northern California. It was established by dermatologist David Bruce, M.D. in 1964. David Bruce Winery has earned an international reputation throughout more than four decades for its dedication to producing the greatest Pinot Noir in the world. 2024 marks their 60th Anniversary.
David Bruce Winery was one of 12 California wineries to participate in the now famous 1976 “Judgment of Paris,” in which California Cabernets and Chardonnays outscored French Bordeaux and Burgundies in a blind tasting in France. Since then, David Bruce wines have consistently taken top honors in competitive tastings.
Today, wines are produced from the winery’s 45-acre estate vineyard featuring plantings of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Riesling, and Syrah, as well as from fruit sourced from over 30 of the best growers in Northern and Central California and representing 6 appellations.