Chanin - Chardonnay Bien Nacido Vineyard 2022 (750ml)
Price: $60.00
| Producer | Chanin |
| Country | USA |
| Region | California |
| Subregion | Santa Barbara |
| Varietal | Chardonnay |
| Vintage | 2022 |
| Sku | 11298 |
| Size | 750ml |
Chanin Wines is dedicated to sourcing fruit from sites in California’s Santa Barbera County to create wines whose qualities reflect the individual vineyards in which these grapes are grown. There are no bottlings from blended sites at Chanin. The focus is on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, which are very well suited to the cooler climate and diverse marine soils and long growing season that the region affords.
The wines are made by Gavin Chanin, whose father Tony had been involved in the establishment of the Zaca Mesa Winery in the Santa Ynez Valley in 1978. Gavin began as a harvest intern aged 18 at Au Bon Climat and Qupe under the guidance of Jim Clendenen and Bob Lindquist, both of whom had also been founders of Zaca Mesa. After periods in South Africa and New Zealand, and extensive travels to the vineyards of France and Italy, Gavin launched Chanin Wines in 2007. The wines are made in the same facility as Au Bon Climat and Qupe where Gavin continued to work as assistant winemaker after 2009.
A key at Chanin is to source completely heathy fruit, ideally from low yielding old vines. The fruit is typically picked quite early to preserve acidy and freshness. The fruit quality and age of the vines allows for making wines that avoid excessive alcohol and make unnecessary any additives – such as commercial yeasts or enzymes - that would compromise the faithful expression of the vineyard’s characteristics. To this end the wines are not filtered.
Gavin graduated from UCLA in 2009 as an award-winning art student. On each label you will find a piece of his artwork.
Vinous: 95 Points
The 2022 Chardonnay Bien Nacido Vineyard is bright aromatic and penetrating with terrific cut that drives right through the mid-palate and finish. Lemon confit slate crushed flowers and white pepper all race through the mouth. This taut expressive Chardonnay has so much to offer. Gavin Chanin certainly got the most out of his fruit from I and L Blocks. (Drink between 2024-2032)
vWine Advocate: 94+ Points
Always one of the finer renditions of this site the 2022 Chardonnay Bien Nacido Vineyard leads with a poised focused nose that highlights this site's signature bouquet of white pepper set against a stony citrus-curd backdrop. The palate combines floating precision with grounded depth finishing with an intensely focused mineral spine supported by powerful dexterity. Given this wine's track record it will reward a year or two in bottle and deliver a beautiful drinking experience over the next decade. Gavin Chanin entered the wine world through an eight-year stint at Au Bon Climat quickly becoming protégé of the late Jim Clendenen. Chanin founded his namesake label in 2007 an era that allowed him to secure contracts for old-vine plantings from some of the region's most historic vineyards while newly established sites were more in vogue. Much of the straightforward practicality learned from Clendenen is employed in the cellar: the Chardonnays are whole-cluster pressed barrel fermented and aged on lees for 14 months then racked and returned to barrel for another four months before bottling. Heavy-toast François Frères barrels are the norm?favoring the Bertranges forest for Chardonnay and Vosges for Pinot Noir?and range from 10% to 50% new. Pinot Noir generally includes 30% to 50% whole clusters with slightly higher percentages of new wood. Across the spectrum the wines continually balance supple generosity with focus and refinement delivered through a deceptively slender frame despite their richly flavored nature. Published: Oct 10 2024
