Racines Santa Rita Hills Chardonnay, Bentrock Vineyard

Racines is the collaborative vision of Étienne de Montille, Rodolphe Péters, and Brian Sieve, bringing together generations of Burgundian and Champagne expertise to craft terroir-driven wines from California's finest cool-climate vineyards. Their philosophy emphasizes whole-cluster pressing, restrained oak, native precision, and patient élevage, allowing vineyard character to remain at the forefront.

The 2021 Bentrock Vineyard Chardonnay is sourced from two north-facing parcels planted in the western reaches of Bentrock Vineyard, where Santa Lucia shaly clay loam and Tierra sandy loam soils, constant Pacific winds, and a cool maritime climate produce fruit of exceptional tension and aromatic purity. The wine was fermented in a mix of large-format puncheons and traditional Burgundian barrels, aged for 11 months in 25% new French oak, then rested an additional six months in stainless steel with its lees before bottling, enhancing texture while preserving freshness.

The nose opens with Meyer lemon, citrus blossom, white peach, chalk, oyster shell, and wet stone, followed by a palate that is focused, saline, and remarkably energetic. The wine finishes with persistent mineral drive rather than richness, making it one of California's clearest expressions of cool-climate Chardonnay.