The Slope Cellars dude set us up — 4 years ago
Sweet cherries, a hint of spice and a velvety finish help create palate for Spanish manchego, apples and an Sicilian black fig preserve with an olive oil crusted cracker. To die for! — 5 years ago
Bought 2014 from Domestique on 1/28/19 per recommendation in lieu of Catalan grapes. $25. Drank 1/30/19. Acid and tannin galore. Splendid fruit at front and back. Lean not sweet. Astringent. Lower alcohol means structure just a bit off. Ruby red with black meniscus. Again on 4/11/19 with Ron & Jenny. Even better. With chilie. — 6 years ago
2 hours skin contact.
Nose: so elegantly floral. Yellow flowers. White flowers.
Palate: so mineral. Delicious. Elegant stone fruits.
Revel
$24.33
— 3 months ago
Medium intensity aromas of lemon, and tropical fruit like mango and pineapple. On the palate the wine is dry, high acidity and has wet-stone like flavors in addition to the lemon. It is sour on the palate, it has gone too lean. Just OK. #ojaivineyard #biennacido #chardonnay #sbcounty #santabarbaracounty #santamaria — 4 years ago
Vintage 2010 — 5 years ago
At the Mt.Pollino tasting i organised at the Oil Mill Santamaria here in Castelluccio Superiore (Basilicata).
The wine is produced on the other side of the mountain, in Calabria, but still at a fairly high altitude of about 500mt.
It's a Mantonico Pinto 100%, another grape that risked to disappear a while ago and that instead is giving great joy to the few producer that have embarked the venture to deal with it.
It's a unique grape, quite aromatic which makes people identify this particular wine nearly sweet even though the sugar has been all transformed in alcohol (not much though..12.5%)
It has a good body, good freshness and all the potential to age few years IMO.
During fermentation there a little maceration and then 8 months of stainless steel container before being bottled.
Just a touch of SO2 added at the vwry end.
Great aperitif. Very recognisable — 2 years ago
I prefer this to the Pence Ranch #staritahills #chardonnay The latter seaming riper, sweeter with popcorn aromas. This #santamaria seems like higher acidity yet still has buttery autolytic notes — 4 years ago
Nothing better than a well aged Chardonnay and fatty, cold water fish. This bottle is our go to pairing for grilled steelhead trout.
Nose is evolving since my prior post, oxidized green apple peel and cold caramel.
Palate is lightly sweet lemon curd/custard, baked red apple, cooked lemon, warm granite dust and a zing of acidity on the close.
Our feline house managers pestered for comfortable portions on the trout, they are good boys and girls, generally, so we endulge.
Great night listening to Hugh Masekela and Mongo Santamaria on the HiFi, everything complimented!
One bottle left, then we move along to the next vintage. — 6 years ago
Danny O'Brien
Fantastic zippy red, really nice and zesty with good tannins, really great value — 3 months ago