Smashed lemon and herb make for a nose that is both rustic and pure on this bottling. The palate is salty and crisp, showing flavors of Meyer lemon peel and sliced apple that enliven the mouth.

The 2023 Chardonnay (Santa Lucia Highlands) is notable for its juxtaposition of inner sweetness, lemon-like sourness and tongue-tingling minerality. It's all Wente clone from 40-year-old vines, so there's a mass of complexity and expressiveness afoot. Native-fermented in neutral barrel, the 2023 is cool-toned, with toasted almond, peppermint and apricot nuances coursing through its veins. A dusting of sweet spice seasons the finish. Nicely proportioned through and through, the 2023 delivers quite a lot for wine the price.

From the Santa Lucia Highlands and raised in neutral oak, the 2023 Chardonnay Santa Lucia Highlands is light gold-hued and bright, clean, classy, and medium-bodied, perfect for drinking over the coming 2-4 years. Ripe citrus, dried herbs, a kiss of blanched almonds, and even a hint of minerality all emerge from the glass. It's balanced, has bright, integrated acidity, plenty of richness, and a great finish. It's more than worth its going rate.