2021 Santa Rita Hills Chardonnay

Sta. Rita Hills AVA

Tasting Notes

“Pale straw hue. Enchanting scents of passionfruit, pineapple, ripe fig, and kiwi leap out of the glass. With some air, notes of white peach, nectarine, and banana fill out the aroma profile. Many of these qualities persist upon taste and then become juicy and dense on the texture. Modest acidity keeps freshness on the smooth, yet lively finish. Enjoy now through 2030.”

~Bill Brosseau, Director of Winemaking
January 2023

Review Coming Soon.

Matt Kettmann
Wine Enthusiast
May 2023 Issue

Production Data

Growers: Various
Winemaker: Bill Brosseau
Appellation: Sta. Rita Hills
Viticulture Practice: Sourced from Certified Sustainable Vineyards
Vinification: Pressed Whole-cluster, fermented in French Oak
Cooperage & Ageing: 13 months in 100% French Oak, 10% new
Production: 7 Barrels
Composition: 100% Chardonnay
Acidity: 3.17 pH, 6.96 TA (g/L)
Alcohol: 14.1%
Harvest: October 10, 2021, hand harvested
Club Release: February 2023
Release Price: $45

Drink Now through 2030

Past Vintage Wine Scores

“Lush, Elegant, with pillowy texture and a complex palate and a long finish.”

Anthony Dias Blue
March 2022

“Silky and juicy with elegant flavors of pear fruit and subtle toast, balanced and long.”

Anthony Dias Blue
August 2021

“If any California Chardonnay stands out as Burgundian, this one does. Elegantly framed with gingerbread and jasmine, its textural sophistication is undeniably stunning. Orange peel and salted white peach adorn the finish.”

Meridith May
The SOMM Journal
June/July 2021

“Bright, toasty nose; silky and elegant; fresh, smooth and classic; balanced, long and refined.”

Anthony Dias Blue
May 2019

“The 2016 Chardonnay Sta. Rita Hills gives up savory scents of toasted almonds, dried hay, apple pie, jasmine and peachy hints plus a vein of crushed stone. The medium-bodied palate is silky and concentrated with lively acidity and a long, energetic, mineral-driven finish. 80 cases were made.”

Erin Brooks
Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
September 2019

“A stellar wine, this appellation blend rivals some of the Los Gatos-based winery’s single vineyard expressions. Exotic dried apples, vanilla cream and popcorn pop on the nose, while there palate’s extreme acidity and explosiveness freshness demands immediate enjoyment. Butter-seared apples, grapefruit pith and a touch of flint round out the flavors.”

Wine Enthusiast

“This appellation blend provides a great representation of the region, with lavish and rich aromas of vanilla bean, clove, dried blueberry paste and zesty chaparral herbs. A fine line of wet gravel and cement minerality centers the palate, with lilac, lavender, clay and turned-earth components alongside richer black-cherry fruit. ”

Matt Kettmann
Wine Enthusiast
December 2016

“The Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir is rich and perfumy with a creamy mouth feel, good acidity, and plum and dark cherry flavors. It is nicely balanced with good acidity and a crisp finish.”

International Wine Review

Sta. Rita Hills

The Santa Rita Hills appellation is one the unique places where the valleys run east-west opening up toward the Pacific Ocean near Lompoc in Santa Barbara County.  The valley is nestled between the Purisima Hills and the Santa Rosa Hills with the Santa Ynez river running through it. Fog and cool, ocean breezes coupled with wind and soils that limit vine vigor add to intense flavor in cool climate Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Testarossa has been making wine from the Santa Rita Hills since 2004.

Past Vintages

Wine Production Data

Tasting Notes

“Pale straw hue. Enchanting aromas of passionfruit, mango, ripe fig, and apple pie. With some air, notes of nectarine and vanilla bean flare out. Once on the palate, the flavors stay true to the aromas while being enhanced by lemon, honey, and oak spice. With brisk acidity and generous concentration, this Chardonnay blend finishes with dimension and pleasure. Enjoy now through 2030.”

~Bill Brosseau, Director of Winemaking
January  2022

Production Data

Growers: Various
Winemaker: Bill Brosseau
Appellation: Sta. Rita Hills
Viticulture Practice: Sourced from Certified Sustainable Vineyards
Vinification: Pressed Whole-cluster, fermented in French Oak
Cooperage & Ageing: 14 months in 100% French Oak, 18% new
Production: 17 Barrels
Composition: 100% Chardonnay
Acidity: 3.29 pH, 7.18 TA (g/L)
Alcohol: 14.2%
Harvest: Various
Club Release: February 2022

Drink Now through 2030

Tasting Notes

“Pale straw hue. This Chardonnay blend opens up nicely with hints of passionfruit, fig, honey, and kiwi. With time, notes of nectarine and butterscotch provide additional satisfaction. Upon taste, flavors flow towards nectarine and pineapple, which is characteristic of the cool climate Santa Rita Hills AVA. Vibrancy and bright qualities segue to a fresh and juicy finish. Enjoy now through 2028.”

~Bill Brosseau, Director of Winemaking
January  2021

Production Data

Growers: Various
Winemaker: Bill Brosseau
Appellation: Sta. Rita Hills
Vinification: Pressed Whole-cluster, fermented in French Oak
Cooperage & Ageing: 14 months in 100% French Oak, 17% new
Production: 408 cases
Composition: 100% Chardonnay
Acidity: 3.33 pH, 7.54 TA (g/L)
Alcohol: 14.2%
Harvest: Various
Club Release: November 2021

Drink Now through 2028

Tasting Notes

“Pale yellow hue. Concentrated scents of passionfruit, pineapple, coconut, and melon leap out of the glass. As this Chardonnay blend of prestigious vineyard lineage flows into the palate, the aromatic characters persist and are met with lush flavors of crème brulee. While the texture boasts plush, deep layers, the vibrant acidity maintains freshness and focus. This wine ends in a pleasing, refreshing, and dynamic finish. Enjo Save y now through 2027.”

~Bill Brosseau, Director of Winemaking
February 2020

Production Data

Growers: Various
Winemaker: Bill Brosseau
Appellation: Sta. Rita Hills
Vinification: Pressed Whole-cluster, fermented in French Oak
Cooperage & Ageing: 14 months in 100% French Oak, 14% new
Production: 720 cases
Composition: 100% Chardonnay
Acidity: 7.01 g/L – 3.28 pH
Alcohol: 14.2%
Harvest: Various
Club Release: February 2020

Drink Now through 2027

Tasting Notes

“Pale straw hue. Concentrated scents of passionfruit, mango, coconut, pineapple are met with notes of lemon custard, grapefruit, and vanilla bean. These lively characters sail into the mouthfeel, which has some tension, further accentuated by the bright and zingy acidity. While young and fresh on the finish, this vibrant Chardonnay still has many years to age gracefully. Enjoy now through 2025.”

~ Bill Brosseau, Director of Winemaking

Production Data

Growers: Various
Winemaker: Bill Brosseau
Appellation: Sta. Rita Hills
Barrel Aging: 14 months
Cooperage: 100% French Oak, 10% new
Production: 1,000 cases
Composition: 100% Chardonnay
Acidity: 5.92 g/L – 3.44 pH
Alcohol: 14.3%
Harvest: Various
Club Release: February 2019

Drink Now through 2025

Tasting Notes

“Deep red color. Nice aromas of cherry, cranberry, orange zest along with some vanilla bean and marmalade jam. These intriguing and pleasing aromas continue in the palate. This wine has bright, lively acidity and modest, precise tannins. These fine grain tannins and youthful profile finish intricately on this hedonistic Pinot Noir. Enjoy now through 2026”

~ Bill Brosseau, Director of Winemaking

Production Data

Growers: Various
Winemaker: Bill Brosseau
Appellation: Sta. Rita Hills
Barrel Aging: 13 months
Cooperage: 100% French Oak, 70%new
Production: 139 cases
Composition: 100% Chardonnay
Acidity: 5.66 g/L – 3.41 pH
Alcohol: 14.1%
Harvest: September 27, 2016
Club Release: February 7, 2018

Consume Now through 2026

Tasting Notes

“Medium Straw hue.  Tempting scents of butterscotch, passionfruit, cloves, peach, and apricot grab your attention first.  Then followed by subtle nuances of banana, kiwi, vanilla bean, ripe grapefruit, and ripe apple.  Once landing on the palate, flavors concentrate towards ripe grapefruit, vanilla bean, banana, ripe apple, and white peach.  This Chardonnay is one of our more brisk white wines we produce, also exhibiting some firmness and a bit of youthful tension.  As it unravels, the finish becomes crisp, mouth-watering, and an ending splash of crème brulee.  Enjoy now through 2023.”

~ Bill Brosseau, Director of Winemaking

Production Data

Growers: Various
Winemaker: Bill Brosseau
Appellation:  Santa Rita Hills
Barrel Aging:  10.5 months
Cooperage: 100% French Oak, 39 % new
Production:
Composition: 100% Chardonnay
Acidity:   6.11 g/L –  3.53 pH
Alcohol:
Harvest:  Various

Consume Now through 2023

 

Tasting Notes

“Medium yellow hue. Wonderful scents of brioche, mango grapefruit, lemon custard and violets. Upon taste, the aroma profile segues nicely, with mango being the focal point in the palate. Bright acidity keeps the wine vibrant and refreshing, while focusing the wine into a trim, mineral-laden finish. Intricate and subtle are the lasting impressions of this fine offering. Enjoy now through 2023.”

~ Bill Brosseau, Director of Winemaking

Production Data

Growers: Various
Winemaker: Bill Brosseau
Appellation:  Santa Rita Hills
Barrel Aging:  11 months
Cooperage: 100% French Oak, 29 % new
Production:  844 cases
Composition: 100% Chardonnay
Acidity:   6.2 g/L –  3.57 pH
Alcohol:  14.4%
Harvest:  Various

Consume Now through 2023

 

WEATHER HOLD ADVISORY: Please note that due to the fragile nature of wine and the impending winter/summer season, we are unable to ship wines to states whose temperatures have dropped below 32  / risen above 90 degrees on average. Orders will be kept in our temperature controlled cellar until more moderate temperatures are reached. If you feel your area might be impacted, please contact us at clubt@testarossa.com to inquire about shipping options.

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