Harbison Le Bon Climat Vineyard Chardonnay 2010Santa Maria Valley

 I’ve enjoyed spending time with the Harbisons through the years as their winery has developed into one of the most sought-after brands. Made by Russell Bevan, they specialize in Cabernet Sauvignon from their Oakville vineyard along Silverado Trail. Their vineyard rests next to Screaming Eagle, Tench Vineyard and Rudd. They are in that special nook that has become known as Eastern Oakville. Thanks to the iron-rich, red volcanic soil that was once part of the peaks of the Vaca Mountains, the mineral notes preserve the freshness and character of the fruit. And while Harbison is most known for their Cabernet Sauvignon, they also produce a full-bodied, focused Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. Coming from the famed Le Bon Climat Vineyard in Santa Maria Valley that Jim Clendenen owns, this 24 case production was produced by Jim ‘in his signature Burgundian style and comes from the Bienvenue-Bâtard-Montrachet clone. It spent 30 months in barrel and one year in bottle before its release. This 2010 was bottled in 2015 and is a beautiful, complex Chardonnay.