Burgundy Royalty, California Soil
2019 Racines Chardonnay Bentrock Vineyard Santa Rita Hills
Two of France's most revered wine families crossed an ocean to make this Chardonnay, resulting in one of the most thrilling whites ever produced in California. Racines is the unprecedented collaboration between Burgundy’s Étienne de Montille, Champagne’s Rodolphe Péters, and Santa Barbara’s Justin Willett. Together, they set out to achieve something massive: crafting true Burgundy-grade wine in the Sta. Rita Hills. They zeroed in on Bentrock, an iconic, wind-scoured vineyard of rocky soils perc…
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Burgundy + Champagne masters
Fossilized marine soils
Retail
$120.00
Best Online
$95.00
$80.00
Our Price
$40 off
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Tasting notes
Aroma
Crushed rock and lemon confit, white flowers, and mint, with green apple, a hint of white pepper, and a bright saline lift.
Palate
Crystalline and tensile, with racy acidity, citrus and orchard fruit, a deep mineral core, and an almost electric, bone-dry, persistent finish.
White Wine Body Profile
Light
Bold
Body Profile
Structured
65/100 Intensity
Light
Bold
65.0/100
Feather-light
Lifted
Balanced
Structured
Powerful
Grapes
100% Chardonnay
ABV
13.0%
Serving
45–50°F
Window
2025–2044
In Detail
De Montille and Péters’ electric 2019 Bentrock
Two of France's most revered wine families crossed an ocean to make this Chardonnay, resulting in one of the most thrilling whites ever produced in California. Racines is the unprecedented collaboration between Burgundy’s Étienne de Montille, Champagne’s Rodolphe Péters, and Santa Barbara’s Justin Willett. Together, they set out to achieve something massive: crafting true Burgundy-grade wine in the Sta. Rita Hills.
They zeroed in on Bentrock, an iconic, wind-scoured vineyard of rocky soils perched on the freezing western edge of the appellation. To translate this extreme terroir, the team applied strict, old-world discipline: native yeast ferments, precise barrel élevage, and extended lees aging. They completely stripped away the heavy, buttery Californian tropes in favor of absolute restraint.
The 2019 is crystalline and wildly precise. It delivers a saline, almost electric intensity that rivals serious Meursault, built to drink beautifully tonight or easily cellar for fifteen years. Because Racines is produced in microscopic quantities, acquiring it usually requires navigating a fierce allocation list. This is California Chardonnay completely rewritten by French hands, and our tiny parcel will not last.
