“This project from the Miller family (owners of Bien Nacido) and winemaker Joey Tensley is really hitting its stride. Aided by the strength of the 2021 vintage, these wines are impressive.” – Vinous

Chardonnay is a varietal that is only as good as the sum of its parts. In the hands of someone skilled, grown in a cool climate and in a perfectly balanced vintage, it will blow the socks off anyone, even the most stubborn card-carrying ABC (Anything But…) member.

This one has all the right stuff - vineyard, winemaker, and vintage. AND AN EPIC PRICE?

BAM!

It comes from a LEGENDARY vineyard. You probably know the Bien Nacido Vineyard. Thanks to the Miller Family, Bien Nacido is one of California’s Grand Cru vineyards, as Food & Wine puts it, “a benchmark - the vineyard against which all of Santa Maria is measured.” With strict rules and quality standards enforced by the family so you are guaranteed an amazing wine when you buy any BNV designate. Planted in the late 1960s, this vineyard has been the source for so many points, we can’t even keep count. Seek out BNV designates from Au Bon Climat, Bedrock, Chanin, Keplinger, Paul Lato, Qupé, Sanguis… IF you can afford, or even find them!

And you have the winemaker, Joey Tensley. Maybe you know him from his Tensley brand, where he makes iconic Syrahs and other Rhône-style reds. He’s amassed over 200 wines rated outstanding and simply does not miss. As Decanter confirms, “This is a more hedonistic expression, in alignment with winemaker Joey Tensley’s signature style, showcasing rich secondary notes from oak and ripe orchard fruit.”

2021 was an epic vintage as well. Just like its Northern California neighbors, Santa Barbara County and more specifically Santa Maria Valley experienced a loooooong growing season, which gave the ripe fruit ample time to develop a complex and alluring flavor profile. It’s juicy, balanced by minerality and subtle herbs. Richly textured with a creamy finish, as clean as a whistle, this wine strikes the middle ground so many Chardonnay drinkers are looking for. Get ready for your new favorite white!

And with not one, not two, but FOUR 93-point scores you’d be silly not to pick up a case of this baby. It will literally cost you less than back-to-school supplies. Trust us, we’ve seen the lists.

Be fast though - there is only so much!

93 Points – Jeb Dunnuck “Readers looking for a richer, textured, beautifully balanced Chardonnay will love the 2021 Chardonnay Bien Nacido Vineyard, a ripe, seamless effort displaying textbook orchard fruits, plenty of spice and background oak, medium to full body, and a great finish. It’s well worth seeking out. These Optik releases are made by Joey Tensley and come primarily from the Santa Maria Valley. As I write in some of the reviews, these wines are a joy to drink.”

93 Points – Wine Enthusiast “There’s a great deal of restraint on the nose of this bottling, which shows crushed rocks, apple flesh and a hint of lime. The palate continues a similar track, as apple skins cut through the Asian pear core, with a firm tension throughout.”

93 Points – International Wine Report “This sleek, steely white is tempered with Anjou pear, McIntosh apple, and lanolin. Echoes of mango and cashew settle on the palate, and minerality sets a most opulent tone on the finish.”

93 Points – Somm Journal “Oak-aged with notes of stone fruit, crème brûlée, and brown spice. Elegant and balanced with a bright finish.”