Presqu'ile 2023 Chardonnay, Santa Maria Valley

Presqu’ile’s 2023 Chardonnay strikes a thoughtful balance between presence and restraint. It starts with lemon curd and white peach, tensioned by wet-stone minerality and a hint of salinity—bright without edge, graceful without fading.

There’s texture here that adds weight without blunting focus. The oak is well integrated—neutral French and Austrian barrels offer breadth and a whisper of richness, but cool-climate acidity keeps the wine lifted and alive. You feel California clarity, not oak-driven warmth.

Presqu’ile’s story matters here. The Murphy family built this estate on a Santa Maria Valley hillside expressly for the combination of fog, elevation, and sandy soils. They plant with intention—clone and site selection, sustainable farming, and a winemaking team that favors detail over drama. It’s a wine made for its place, not to outrun it.

That same thoughtfulness extends to the winery’s identity. Named for the family’s Gulf Coast retreat lost to Hurricane Katrina, Presqu’ile is an act of memory shaped into terroir. The wines reflect that—anchored in purpose, not pretense.

This isn’t Chardonnay built for flash. It invites presence—pours chilled, pairs with anything from trout to creamy linguine, and rewards patience. It’s clarity framed in texture and thought—easy to like, hard to forget.