Wow, this is a California Chardonnay I can get behind. Brick and Mortar's Anderson Valley Chardonnay is brimming with Chablis-like purity and energy. It's also a wonderful value!
You will not find any butter or cream on the palate of this 93-point-rated (Jeb Dunnuck and Wine Enthusiast) Chardonnay that snaps, crackles and pops with flavors of Meyer lemon, pear, green apple, ginger, and citrus zest.
As you can see from Wine Enthusiast's review below, our price is well below the $38 suggested retail too!
Brick and Mortar was founded in 2011 by Burgundy-loving couple Matt and Alexis Iaconis. After Matt spent the summer of 2010 in Burgundy, he returned to the states with a commitment to producing cool-climate, terroir-driven, and Burgundy-inspired wines in California. “Less is more,” he says. “Nowadays, while I maintain the wine, I do almost nothing once the wine hits the barrel, and minimal prior to that.”
That philosophy is easy when you have access to great fruit from top sites, and most of the grapes for Brick and Mortar's 2023 Chardonnay came from the famed Ferrington Vineyard. This is one of the best cool-climate Chardonnay and Pinot Noir vineyards in all of California. Matt's minimalist approach is on full display here, as the wine is fermented with native yeasts, and just 15% new oak is used.
The goal is to let the quality of fruit from this "Grand Cru" heritage site shine bright. Mission accomplished, and in a cool year like 2023, the grapes enjoyed long hang-times and preserved their electric acidity, yielding a wine with wonderful tension and poise. As Jeb Dunnuck said, it's "a fresh and very giving wine" with "impressive length and texture."
I agree with him, and this is a truly impressive bottle of California Chardonnay for those who love Chards from the likes of Montelena and Grgich Hills. This will just run you a lot less $$!
Josh Spurling
Owner/Operator/Wine Lover
Table Wine Asheville
