Bien Nacido is one of the oldest vineyards in Santa Barbara. The rocky soil, steep slopes, and harsh sea breezes of this region allow for the complex flavors that can only be achieved through slow aging.
This Chardonnay is made from 100% organically grown Bien Nacid grapes and is from own-rooted Block W, planted in 1973.
The grapes were hand-picked at night and whole-cluster pressed. They were then barrel-fermented with natural yeast and subjected to malolactic fermentation. They were aged on the lees for 16 months in French oak barrels (45% new).
Bottled unfined and unfiltered.
The taste of plenty of sunlight and cool sea breeze is the essence of Bien Nacido. Ripe bananas with a freshly baked roll cake aroma and hints of almond and sea salt. The rich and viscous taste tightens the whole. You can also expect an elegant transformation from more than 10 years of cellar aging.
The story of Bien Nacid began in 1837 when Tomas Olivera was granted two square leagues of land by two governors in what was then Spanish Alta California. The land claim stretched from the Santa Maria Mesa to the San Rafael Mountains and bordered the Cuyama River where it flows into the Sisquoc River.
In 1855, Tomas Olivera sold Rancho Tepusque to his son-in-law, Don Juan Pacifico Ontiveros, who built a brick cabin and began cultivating wine grapes the following year. The old cabin still stands today, surrounded by the rows of grapes in the Bien Nacido vineyard, and is an important place of rest for the local community of winemakers and growers.
In 1969, the Miller family, a fifth-generation California farmer, purchased land in the then-nascent wine country of Santa Maria Valley. By the early 1970s, the Millers had planted vineyards and named them Bien Nacido Vineyards. Since then, winemakers at renowned wineries such as Ojai Vineyard and AuBon Climat have been using Bien Nacido grapes to produce outstanding wines. Located on the eastern side of the Santa Maria Valley and heavily influenced by the Pacific Ocean, the vineyard produces top-quality Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Syrah. The terroir of this land is a combination of rocky soil, cool climate, long hours of sunshine and fog that gently envelopes the grapes, and the passion of the people who work in the fields every day.
The individuality and characteristics of Bien Nacido grapes are discovered by the cultivation team who work in the fields every day with sincerity and a sense of mission, and they truly represent their dedication to their work. Winemakers throughout California covet grapes from here because they can experience this terroir.
Trey Fletcher
Prior to joining Miller Family Brands, he worked in the Stags Leap AVA in Napa Valley and the Mendoza and Cafayate regions of Argentina before taking on the role of assistant winemaker at Domaine Alfredo, then the assistant winemaker position at Retry in Sonoma before joining the Miller Family on California's Central Coast.
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