2016 Buena Tierra Vineyards Chardonnay 750ml

The 2016 Chardonnay Buena Tierra Vineyard has a medium-deep lemon-gold color, but don’t let the deeper color fool you into thinking the wine is prem-oxed. The nose leaps from the glass with classic scents of apricots, lemon butter, ripe grapefruit and key lime pie with hints of praline and graham crackers. The palate is instantly awakened with lovely tension and bags of citrus, stone fruit and evolving nutty flavors, finishing long with exciting mineral sparks. It is mature now but should certainly hold a good 4-5 more years. - 95 points, Wine Advocate

We discovered the Buena Tierra vineyard in the Russian River Valley, by meet­ing a vintner, Eugena Keegan, who bought chardonnay grapes from the Sonoma coast. She asked if we'd like to barrel taste the wine. The wine was stunning. She was moving to Oregon, so we approached the owner of Buena Tierra Vine­yards on the Russian River in Sonoma County about buying the grapes. The owners were reluctant because the vines were at the time 35 years old and pro­duction was down. We offered to pay full production price for whatever grapes were harvested, an agreement that continues to this day.