Dierberg Vineyard Chardonnay
⏳ Drinking Window
2022 - 2027
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Pan-seared scallops, roasted chicken with herbs, creamy mushroom risotto
✨ Technical Specifications
The Dierberg Vineyard Chardonnay by Dominion Tantara is a masterful expression of the Santa Maria Valley's unique maritime terroir. Situated on the mesa above the Santa Maria River, the Dierberg Vineyard benefits from the region's unusual east-west transverse mountain range, which acts as a natural funnel for cool Pacific fog and winds. This dramatic microclimate extends the growing season, allowing the Chardonnay grapes to develop deep flavor complexity while preserving their vital, mouth-watering acidity. Dominion Tantara honors this exceptional fruit through traditional Burgundian winemaking techniques, including barrel fermentation in French oak and regular lees stirring (bâtonnage). The resulting wine beautifully balances the bright, mineral-driven energy of the cool-climate site with a rich, textured, and sophisticated palate.
🍾 About the Producer
Founded in 1997 in California's cool-climate Santa Barbara County, Dominion Tantara is an artisan producer renowned for its site-specific Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Sourcing fruit from celebrated Central Coast terroirs such as Bentrock, Dierberg, and La Encantada vineyards, the winery emphasizes low-intervention, Burgundian-inspired winemaking techniques that showcase the purity of each vintage. Its cellar regime prioritizes indigenous fermentations, gentle handling, and judicious use of French oak to produce focused, elegant wines of remarkable depth and ageability. In addition to its acclaimed single-vineyard and reserve Pinot Noirs, Dominion Tantara crafts refined, small-lot expressions of Chardonnay, Syrah, and Cabernet Franc.
🍇 Grape Varieties
Chardonnay
🍷 Alcohol By Volume (ABV)
13.5-14.5%