There’s a reason Chardonnay is the most-famous white variety in the world. Is it because it was ruined in the 80’s or because #influencer has “re-discovered” it? No. It is because suburban mom buys boxes of it? Well, that may be a small portion of why it is the best-SELLING white wine in the world, but it goes back way deeper than that. It is because it is the King of White Wines. Period, end of conversation. Deep florescent golden here, beautiful green smoky haze flowing off the nose. The kind of magical sharp musty rich bouquet–part asphalt, part jasmine, part pitch and dirt. The petrichor and green ZANG off this one packs pear and crenshaw into your nose–an almost scallion bite over thick broth, SPELLING OUT why this savory dense chameleon is favored by purists.

Sometimes ya just wanna big, beautiful Chardonnay. This will not be an apologetic post or a coaxing post–the way most of you have probably seen blogger work Chard into their feed. No way. Anyone who knows anything knows chardonnay never went away, never changed for the wine 1 percent–it’s the 99 who ruined it and are still explaining their way out of the pit they dug. For most of us, this variety is still the gorgeous workhorse and stunning, glowy beauty queen she always was. Everyone knows trendiness in wine is what the 99%–and their social guidance mouthpieces–is all about and the rest of us been drinking the same grapes for 30-40 years. Wine fads exist only on the pages of magazines and the Instagrams of bloggers after the engagement dollar. Chardonnay is not a fad.

Oh god and the mouthfeel. My mind is still reeling from the tannic rock-candy finish of my first draw to properly concentrate on the entry and middle. Full-guns-blazing caramel nose-candy translates straight onto the tongue but there’s so much more. Apple-twist hard candy, a cinnamon smudge on warm summer pond, thick nectarine and pina-colada announce an indescribable finish. The restrained decadence of the barrel-programme tells me this might be the most-neutral of the Patz offerings. A little pepper tells me this isn’t mussing around with concentration, but the way this is put together: WHO CARES.

2018 MARITANA Chardonnay Hansen Hill Dutton Ranch RRV Sonoma 14.5

maritanavineyards.com