Brewer-Clifton 2023 Chardonnay, Sta. Rita Hills

The Brewer‑Clifton 2023 Estate Chardonnay from Sta. Rita Hills arrives as a quiet thrill. You catch lemon zest and Meyer‑lemon blossom first, lifted by jasmine and lemongrass, then kissed by coastal salt. This isn’t tropical richness—it’s coastal brightness trimmed in restraint.

On the palate, citrus and pomelo layers lend a plush entry before a saline vein cuts through—like fog shrinking distance in slow motion. Chalky grip, not oak fat, draws the edges. Its tension is pulled by place, not winemaking flourish.

What gives Chardonnay this definition? Sta. Rita Hills’ east–west lip draws relentless Pacific air, cooling sun‑lit days, and limestone‑rich soils. Greg Brewer sources across 3D, Machado, Hapgood, and Perilune—each vineyard imprinting nuance into one silenced symphony of site.

There’s intention here. Grapes arrive cool, whole‑cluster pressed, fermented with neutral oak, then bottled early—no malolactic flourish, no oak show. The result is energy held in shape: Chardonnay before it becomes something else.

This wine doesn’t ask for attention. It wants presence. Pour it with oysters, lemon-butter halibut, or let it cradle your evening’s hush—quietest in a crowded room, not by design, but by reflection.

Brewer-Clifton 2023 “Sta. Rita Hills” Chardonnay—fog in glass, mineral in memory, restraint in height.