Spring Release Charles Heintz Vineyard Isobel Chardonnay
2020

Winemaker’s Notes

Our 2020 Isobel Chardonnay—named for my daughter—from Charles Heintz Vineyard, is another classic showing from this unique foggy, high elevation coastal vineyard—one of the great names in Californian Chardonnay. It’s a rich, full-bodied vintage, similar in style to 2017—another low crop/early harvest year. The wine is quite dense and tightly packed so needs some time to relax and unwind in bottle. It has a huge amount of rich, oily, mineral-stone character and will show its full range of flavors after summer 2022. It promises to age positively in bottle for a decade-plus, such is its inherent concentration.

This is our twentieth vintage working with these same vines, and the quality on offer here is worthy of that anniversary. When I look back to all the great wines we’ve made from Heintz, this vintage deserves a place in the finest-ever conversation.

Great aromatic range: lemon zest, citrus blossom, white flowers, and brioche. Fresh green herb and botanical notes emerge with an intriguing sweet hay character. Similar flavors flow with classic Heintz Vineyard signatures of tangy lime juice, rich lemon oil, and toasted hazelnut. The texture is full of beeswax and honey with some miso complexity. The mineral acidity comes in waves—taut, electric, and vibrant. The wine finishes with candied ginger richness and stony length. Serve at 58°F—chilled but not cold—and drink between late 2022 and 2031.

Andy Smith