Thomas Fogarty Damiana Vineyard Chardonnay Santa Cruz Mountains 2021 (750ml) *
Product price
$37.99
Description
High-elevation Chardonnay from California's Santa Cruz Mountains tends to trade in tension, ripeness pulled taut by cool air and altitude, and that is the register this wine works in. Thomas Fogarty draws it from the Damiana Vineyard, the estate's oldest planting (in the ground since 1978) and typically the first block picked each year. The 2021 is the more overt, exotic bottling in the range, though elevation keeps that flamboyance in check.
Expect a nose of ripe, concentrated orchard fruit, apricot, and stone fruit, with honeysuckle and yellow flowers lifting above it and a faint earthy undertone. The palate follows suit: forward, decadent, full-throttle, but harnessed by fresh acidity and a crushed-stone snap on the finish that keeps the whole thing honest. Powerful now, with the structure to hold and evolve over the coming decade.
Product Details
| Category | Wine |
| Country | USA |
| Region | California |
| Varietal | Chardonnay |
| Producer | Thomas Fogarty |
| Vintage | 2021 |
| Size | 750 ML |
| Subtype | Still |
Expert Reviews
Planted in 1978, the 2021 Chardonnay Damiana Vineyard is the oldest site at Thomas Fogarty and usually the first to be harvested. It produces an exotic and powerful wine, displaying aromas of ripe, concentrated orchard fruits, stone fruit pits and honeysuckle. The palate is as one would expect given the nose: forward and decadent but harnessed with balancing acidity and crushed stones on the finish. A beautiful, full-throttle showing that should have a good 10 years ahead of it in the cellar. (Wine Advocate, April 2024)
The 2021 Chardonnay Damiana Vineyard is laced with hints of tropical fruit, apricot, yellow flowers and earthy tones. The Damiana is one of the more overt wines in this range, as it often is, but that exotic character is nicely tempered by elevation. (Vinous, November 2023)