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When it rains, it POURS.
(Literally, we’re getting drenched here in wine country, not complaining, but it’s crazy out there.)
What’s equally crazy is this Sangiacomo Chardonnay deal crushed down to just $19 a pop, when the namesake estate goes up to $68.
Speaking of Sangiacomo, if you missed the WIA-winning Pinot counterpart to this wine, you can find it here at our Store since we went back and bought up the entire production! There was much less of this Chardonnay tough…
Yes, Sangiacomo is a massive and therefore variable vineyard complex, yet the family grows nothing but extraordinary fruit. Some plots are terroir-wise luckier, like this wine’s source, the Catarina plot. While it has been a farm since the 1800s, the Sangiacomos didn’t acquire it until 1952. Sandwiched between the Kiser, Vella, and Home Ranches, it’s prime time Carneros with ideal soil and climate.
The Sangiacomo family has been farming in Sonoma for a century and they have some of the best fruit around. Who else makes a good ‘como Chardonnay? Let’s see. We have Sojourn (killer, btw), Chappellet, Saintsbury, Landmark, Frank Family, just to name a few. This Poundstone was crafted under the careful watch of Bruce Devlin who left his mark on wines at Karl Lawrence, Larkin, Lagier-Meredith, Geyser Peak, Ballentine, and currently his own Three Clicks label.
Ranked #7 by Food & Wine as one of the Most Important California Vineyards All Wine Lovers Need to Know they pinpoint that “It’s hard to believe that the generations-long Sangiacomo family of farmers were once known for being the top pear farmers in all of Sonoma County, but when their pear business went bust in the 1960s, they dove head-first into growing grapes - and the rest is history. With over 1,600 acres of prime land in Sonoma over four separate AVAs (the majority of which are rooted in Carneros) and a dedication to the sustainability of their vines, Sangiacomo Vineyards is a highly desired source for premium cool-climate grapes.”
The press hasn’t caught up with this vintage yet, but last time Wine Enthusiast tasted this, the 2017 stole the show: “this heady, fleshy white from a well-farmed site is creamy and lush in mouthfeel, with a supportive backbone of acidity… a mix of crisp green apple and more robust fig, with touches of vanilla and brioche emanating from the integrated oak” - spot on, and this vintage overall rated even higher!
Back the truck up! Who knows when we’ll see a sub-$20 single vineyard Chard deal this good again?
What the Winery Says
2019 Sangiacomo Vineyard Chardonnay
- Winemaker
- Bruce Devlin
- Varietal
- 100% Chardonnay
- Vintage
- 2019
- Alcohol
- 14.1%
- Appellation
- Carneros, Sonoma Coast
- Vineyard
- Sangiacomo Catarina Vineyard
- pH
- 3.66
- Harvest date
- September 24th, 2019
- Bottling date
- August 22th, 2020
- Aging
- 9 months
- Barrels
- 25% new French oak
- Production
- 7 barrels