2013 Chardonnay Carmel Vineyard

This is another stellar set of wines from Mail Road and Winemaker Matt Dees. Mt. Carmel is one of the most striking sites in the Sta. Rita Hills. These high-altitude, exposed, hillside parcels get plenty of exposure to the elements. Although the Sta. Rita Hills is most often associated with Pinot Noir, Chardonnay offers just as much potential in this stretch of vineyards. At Mt. Carmel, the Chardonnay is own-rooted Wente, which is not something one sees every day. Owners Ronald Piazza and Michael Palmer are in just their third vintage working with Matt Dees, but the quality and pedigree of these wines is evident. The 2013s are just as strong from bottle as they were from barrel, while the 2014s have the potential to be even better. Both vintages are early, but 2014 is quite remarkable, as all the fruit was in before September, with the exception of a bit of Chardonnay.

Mail Road Wines is the new project of Ronald Piazza and Michael Palmer, who own Mt. Carmel Vineyard, one of the most dramatic, rugged sites in the Sta. Rita Hills. Piazza and Palmer brought on winemaker Matt Dees, who has turned out an absolutely spectacular set of wines that might very well redefine what this site is capable of. The Mail Road Pinots are a bit riper in style than what readers have come to expect from Dees. Most of the fruit is destemmed, while new oak is around 33-50%. I only tasted one Chardonnay, the 2013, but it was enough to get a sense of what is to come from this site, which was originally developed by Greg Brewer and Steve Clifton. I can't say enough good things about these new releases from Mail Road. Readers who can source the wines are in for a thrilling experience. It's as simple as that.