Product Overview
Vineyard Notes
"Bentrock Vineyard is the westernmost planting along Santa Rosa Road on the old Salsipuedes Ranch (The ranch was broken into two vineyards, Radian and Bentrock). Even on warm days in the valley, it is still breezy and cold at Bentrock. The soils are complex. The soils are sandy but there is some variability with some richer parts as well lots of interesting limestone and sandstone, even a little bit of shale. Bentrock is one of those cool climate sites where the style works really well for SAMsARA because we’re able to make an acid-driven style where fruit is picked on the early side; fresh and bright, but the resulting wine has tons of depth, texture and complexity."
Winemaker's Notes
"A powerful and commanding wine. Smoky matchstick and gunflint aromatics lead into preserved lemon, crushed oyster shell, and lemongrass. Broad and ripe in expression but with incredible tension—unctuous yet laced with piercing acidity. Savory hints of bay leaf add depth. Built to evolve."
Varietal Composition: 100% Chardonnay
Clones: 95
Appellation: Sta. Rita Hills AVA
Vineyard Designation: Bentrock Vineyard
Aging: 17 months in French oak, 100% neutral
Production: 108 cases
Winemaker: Matt Brady
95 Points - James Suckling
"Mouthwatering, energetic and deeply savory, this chardonnay has a gunpowder-flecked spine that mingles with salted lemons, hard orchard and stone fruits, white spices and seashells. Long and layered. Drink or hold." -JS
94 Points - Wine Advocate
"One of the more impressive Chardonnays of the portfolio, the 2023 Chardonnay Bentrock Vineyard is strikingly pure and electric on the nose, offering up an ethereal and alluring bouquet defined by palpable marine overtones, citrus curds and herbal accents. On the palate, it captures the site's characteristic blend of focused, incisive minerality with a balancing, grounded touch of padding depth. It concludes with a long, succulent and transparent finish that lingers with notable length." -ML, 11/6/25
90 Points - Vinous
"The 2023 Chardonnay Bentrock Vineyard is tart, zippy and angular, with energy to burn. Readers who prefer Chardonnay built around mineral intensity, vibrancy and lively acids will find plenty to like here." -BN, Aug/2025
