Samuel Louis Smith 'Les Granitiers' Monterey County Chardonnay

If we poured this for you and said Chablis, you would be as shocked as we were to learn that this is California Chardonnay coming from a number of vineyards in Monterey County. Mostly coming from Coastview and Fogstone vineyards, 'Granitier' is the French term referring to granite quarry workers, and the fruit for this wine indeed comes from largely granitic soils. Coming from elevations of 1,200 ft on average, this is high altitude California Chard. 

Electric, linear, muscular, and representing a new school character with lots of finesse. Green apple, apricot, crisp pear, citrus pith, and lemon oil make up the bright side of the fruit in this wine. Sea spray, crushed stone, and saline solution all come together to show a side of California Chardonnay that has only just begun to gain prominence, and tastes shockingly like Chablis in the process.