2018 Fess Parker Chardonnay

V90 Vinous,

The 2018 Chardonnay (Santa Barbara County) is a gorgeous appellation-level wine. Light tropical notes, lemon confit, white flowers, tangerine and mint are all pushed forward. Oily and nicely textured in the glass, the Santa Barbara Chardonnay has a lot to offer. It is also a fabulous value.

One of the most popular and versatile white wine grapes, Chardonnay offers a wide range of flavors and styles depending on where it is grown and how it is made.

With a dry and mild climate cooled significantly by moist ocean fog and breezes, Santa Barbara County,California is a grape-grower’s dream. Part of the larger Central Coast appellation, Santa Barbara is home to Santa Maria Valley and Santa Ynez Valley. The conditions here provide an opportunity for nearly effortless production of high-quality cool-climate wines. This is also the site of the 2004 film Sideways, which caused Pinot Noir’s popularity to skyrocket and brought new acclaim to the region.

The Fess Parker Winery & Vineyard grew out of Fess’ vision for the promise of Santa Barbara County as a premier viticultural region. Established in 1989, the family immediately began planting some of the county’s most renowned vineyards. Outstanding fruit sources coupled with skilled winemaking are at the core of delivering wines of the highest quality to our consumer. We are proud to boast two Winemaker of the Year recipients – Eli Parker and Blair Fox – focusing on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, primarily from the Sta. Rita Hills AVA, and estate grown Syrah and Viognier.