Chalone Vineyard Estate Chardonnay 2022 (750ml)
Product price
$24.99
Description
Chalone Vineyard's Estate Chardonnay from their home vineyard in the Chalone appellation of California's Central Coast, aged nine months in one-third new French oak. This is a California Chardonnay built on restraint and mineral presence rather than richness.
The wine opens with sea spray and citrus, kumquat and grapefruit zest, layered beneath a pronounced salty minerality that shapes the whole experience. On the palate, the fruit weight remains pure and lean, pulled taut by impressive structural tension and a briny, almost oyster-shell quality. The finish deepens into savory spice notes that add complexity and dimension. What emerges is a racy, exotic wine with remarkable freshness and intensity, the kind of Chardonnay that rewards attention and suggests the vineyard is entering a new phase of expression.
Product Details
| Category | Wine |
| Color | White |
| Country | USA |
| Region | California |
| Subregion | Chalone |
| Varietal | Chardonnay |
| Producer | Chalone Vineyard |
| Vintage | 2022 |
| Size | 750 ML |
| Subtype | Still |
Expert Reviews
The Estate Chardonnay from Chalone is exceptional, aged 9 months in 33% new French oak. The nose greets you with sea spray aromatics, kumquat notes, a squeeze of grapefruit zest, and a compelling salty mineral character. The palate is pure, lean, and focused, with good fruit weight balanced by incredible tension and a brininess. The finish is layered with a medley of savoury spices—an element that has been notably missing from this wine in previous vintages. Racy and exotic, it offers remarkable freshness and intensity. This wine represents a significant turning point, heralding a new era of exceptional wines from this iconic estate—a real tour de force.
Made from some of the estate's older vines, some dating back to 1972, the 2022 Chardonnay Estate Grown is a ripe, full-bodied, and concentrated white wine, with an appley nose and fruity character throughout. Given nine months in 33% new French oak barrels, it wears the warm vintage well, fully embracing a concentrated, rich style. Drink now. At 1,800-feet elevation in the Gabilan Mountain range, the Chalone Vineyard’s history goes back to 1919; its first vintage as Chalone was 1966 (made by Philip Togni). Its focus is Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, while also growing smaller amounts of Chenin Blanc, Pinot Blanc, and Syrah. (Jeb Dunnuck, April 2025)