Bien Nacido Vineyard Chardonnay
⏳ wine.drinking_window
Typically best enjoyed 3–10 years from the vintage release.
🍽️ wine.food_pairings
Pan-seared scallops, roasted chicken, creamy mushroom risotto
✨ wine.spec_sheet
The Bien Nacido Vineyard, planted in 1973 by the Miller family in the Santa Maria Valley, is one of California's most historic and revered cool-climate sites. Benefiting from the unique transverse mountain ranges of Santa Barbara County, the vineyard is subjected to daily maritime fog and cool Pacific winds, allowing for a long, slow ripening period. Dominion Tantara's Chardonnay from this legendary site is crafted using traditional Burgundian methods, including barrel fermentation and aging in French oak. The result is a wine that beautifully captures the vineyard's signature profile: vibrant citrus, stone fruit, and a distinct saline minerality derived from the region's ancient marine soils.
🍾 wine.about_producer
Founded in 1997 by Bill Cates, Dominion Tantara is a distinguished boutique winery located in the Santa Maria Valley of Santa Barbara County, California. The winery is dedicated to producing exceptional, site-specific wines, sourcing fruit from some of the Central Coast's most prestigious vineyards, including Bentrock, Dierberg, and La Encantada. Emphasizing traditional French winemaking methods and minimal intervention, Dominion Tantara specializes in elegant, terroir-driven Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Syrah. Their acclaimed single-vineyard and reserve bottlings, such as the Cuvee Jeannette and Evelyn Pinot Noirs, are highly regarded for their sophistication, balance, and aging potential.