Patria Charlie Smith Vineyard Chardonnay Moon Mountain District 2020

We are delighted to share with you today this debut Chardonnay from a very dedicated winemaker, Tony Biagi (Duckhorn, PlumpJack, Cade, Amici, Hourglass, The Vineyardist, Lasseter, Clos du Val) and his personal label, Patria Wines. You may be familiar with Aubert, Peter Michael, Marcassin, Kistler, Maxem, and Kongsgaard, all deliciously well-thought out and meticulously crafted Chardonnays. These producers are the inspiration for Tony’s Green Goddess, and they are no stranger to the ACME wall, having long supplied us with incredible examples of timeless wines. 

Let me tell you a little about how this beautifully full-bodied Chardonnay from the Moon Mountain District high above the town of Sonoma at 1600ft above sea-level came to be. It is important to note the extreme elevation here and I will expand on that topic a little! Tony has long been a steward of the land, with his boots planted firmly in the dirt from which his wines are grown, and we are so happy he made it up the mountaintop. He was first struck by the possibilities and intricacies of mountain-grown Chardonnay after enjoying a bottle of the gone-but-not-forgotten Peter Michael Clos du Ciel from Howell Mountain, made by none other than Mark Aubert in the mid 1990s. The rugged terrain opposite the valley floor can be intimidating to growers, but the low-yielding nature offers up rewards of strikingly complexity. Like our favorite Burgundian whites from Meursault and Puligny-Montrachet whose extreme character comes from extreme elevations at 700-1500 feet, the real star of this show is the Charles Smith Vineyard and its soaring heights. 

High in the Mayacamas Mountains, at the end of a long, winding road only accessible by passing through the famed Kistler Vineyard lies this organically-farmed paradise. With agricultural guru Phil Coturri (Oakville Ranch, Kamen, Eisele Vineyard) at the helm, Charles Smith Vineyard is producing some of the finest Chardonnay you’ve never had! Planted to the historic Hyde Wente clone, which was originally grafted over from budwood harvested at the neighboring Kistler Vineyard, just a select few rows on a red-clay impacted ridgeline amongst mostly Merlot and Cabernet vines contribute to this grand-slam Chardonnay from all-star winemaker Tony Biagi and team. In the cellar Tony’s uses a modest approach to bring this wine to life. Allowing native yeast fermentations to set the course, his focus is to achieve balance with refreshing acidity and a seductive texture in every glass. Malo-lactic fermentation did not occur in this wine, instead weight and mouthfeel are accented by the careful addition 45% new French oak. Citrus fruits and mineral notes abound upon first pour followed by beeswax, honeysuckle and flint aromas. More tropical on the palate than the old-world counterparts we mentioned above with guava and pear flavors alongside subtle hints of vanilla. A complex finish that leans towards salty sea air and lemon balm before concluding with just enough toasted almond to keep you thirsty for more. Only 2 barrels made.