“Why IS this so good?” asked Agent Noir…

Oh, it’s a Sangiacomo Family Chardonnay. And oh, made by THE James MacPhail!

Vineyards under the auspices of Sangiacomo have been a “Grand Cru” source for some of the best Chardonnay grown in California - from Chappellet to Westwood, from Eric Kent to Domaine Carneros. DOZENS more we won’t take space listing, and most sell way over $50.

Per Food & Wine “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… In fact, the grape business at Sangiacomo has been going so well, that they launched their own label in 2016 - Sangiacomo Wines with James MacPhail helming the cellars - so they may never go back to growing pears ever again!”

They are right, nothing “com-pears” to Sangiacomo Chardonnay, as it springs right out of the glass with lively notes of juicy honeydew melon, ripe Bosc pear, and honeysuckle, with touches of vanilla and toast. The medium-bodied palate is rich and round, with harmonious zip and a mineral lift on the finish. YUM!

No wonder in a Wine Spectator piece just last summer highlighting “California’s Best Chardonnay Vineyards” Sangiacomo is named alongside Hudson and Hyde when “They launched their own wine brand, Sangiacomo Family Wines, with the 2016 vintage and James MacPhail is the winemaker. They use only about 2% of the grapes for themselves… ‘When I started working with Chardonnay, it was even more transparent that you’ve got to let the site speak,’ says MacPhail. ‘…And with the Sangiacomo array of vineyards and sites, I was like a kid in a candy store.’”

And that’s a veteran talking who’s basically seen it all through his own hugely successful MacPhail label along with concocting amazing wines for The Calling, Tongue Dancer, Crescere to name a few.

Stock up - the summer is upon us!

93 Points – Sean Ludford’s BevX

“Brilliant, light golden color. The aromatics are intense, offering scents of white peach and spring flowers with supporting notes of cantaloupe, apricot stone, and beeswax. The palate echoes the nose delivering a tropical fruits-driven core with flavors of lychee, lemon curd, wet stones, meringue, and oak. The finish is long and lingering. Full-bodied and perfectly balanced with an opulent texture.”

92 Points – The Tasting Panel

“Well-measured oak offers subtly spicy and toasty accents to a core of tastefully ripened fruit with flavors recalling mango, baked apple, and fresh pineapple. The acidity is as nicely balanced as the wood, suggesting skillful cellar work as well as good decisions in the vineyard, with that latter fact coming as no surprise from the famed growers of the Sangiacomo family.”