Rancho Vinedo DOÑA MARTINA Chardonnay
WHY WE LOVE IT
- Rancho Viñedo Vineyard is part of the original Ranchos de Ontiveros land from 1781.
- The Rancho Viñedo Chardonnay vineyard was planted in 1973.
- This wine is a reflection of the rugged location of the originally farmed, low-yield vineyard and is a true expression of its place.
- The wine sits on gross lees until bottling, at which point it’s bottled unfined and unfiltered.
Varietal Composition: 100% Chardonnay
Elaboration: The soils are pleasanton sandy loam. Primary fermentation takes place 75% stainless steel, 20% new French oak, and 5% used French oak. It is cellared for 11 months prior to release.
Tasting Notes: This Chardonnay is an expression of its place: lean and crisp with resilient character.
“Rancho Viñedo is offering this wine as part of a vertical collection with the 2018 and ’16 (both recommended here). All three wines draw from the same old-vine, own-rooted Wente and Martini selections. This 2017 is old school in every way: in its smoky, developed lees notes, its mildly tropical fruit flavors from white peach to mango, and especially in its dusty texture, broad and firmly planted, allowing for uncanny length and persistence.” —P.J.C., Wine & Spirit
PRESS
2017 – 92 Wine & Spirit
2019 – 94 Wine Enthusiast | 93 Vinous
PRODUCER BACKGROUND
In California’s Santa Maria Valley, Ranchos de Ontiveros produces small-lot estate wines that reflect the terroir and offer a true expression of the unique climate, soil, and capability of the valley.
This story begins in 1781 when Josef Ontiveros rode from Mexico to settle in California. He would become the first in a line of generations of California ranchers and farmers. Now, nine generations after his arrival, James Ontiveros is proud to grow and make wines of superb quality and complexity.
Both of the winery’s estate vineyards, Rancho Viñedo and Rancho Ontiveros, have a complex history and yield old-world-inspired wines. Only four miles apart, the soils of Rancho Viñedo are millions of years older than Rancho Ontiveros, and the old vines on their own roots are decades older. At 23, James planted Rancho Ontiveros on a windswept plot at an elevation of 700 feet. The unique soils and elevation led James to plant Pinot Noir, at the time, a risky and unconventional choice.