Brewer-Clifton

Sweeney Canyon Chardonnay 2005

Frankly, I would never have even thought about buying a white wine with 16.4% alcohol. And a Californian Chardonnay on top of it? Not in a million years. But the Brewer-Clifton Sweeney Canyon Chardonnay 2005 was a birthday present from my brother Hardy. Because I am so prejudiced against Californian Chardonnay.

Brewer-Clifton is a joint-venture of Greg Brewer and Steve Clifton, two winemakers from California, who also make wine at Diatom and Palmina respectively. Their primary goal is to showcase the uniqueness of the Santa Rita Hills AVA, one of the few rather cold-climate growing region in California. They source their grapes (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay only) from select growers withinin the AVA. Instead of worshipping French new oak Brewer-Clifton's philosophy is "an utmost respect for nature" with interventions kept to a minimum. There is even a touch of biodynamism in their approach as they state on their website that racking of the wines happens "at the beginning of the waning moon following Summer Solstice. It is during this period that the wine is most settled."

I served the Sweeney Canyon Chardonnay 2005 to a group of friends as part of a blind-tasting. Most remarkably: after the first sniff I did not detect even a hint of new oak. My interest in the wine spiked immediately. The nose was dominated by minerality and citrus fruit, but at the same time there were some softer pear aromas and quite a bit of a spice. Overall a very complex nose but at the same time it was difficult to pin down a grape variety. We were all puzzled yet fascinated at the same time: a Grüner Veltliner because of the strong minerality and pepper flavors? A Burgundy because of its solid structure and complex flavor profile? Or perhaps a dry Riesling from a Luddite winemaker in the Pfalz?

The Sweeney Canyon Chardonnay was bone dry on the palate and because of the high alcohol necessarily full bodied. However, despite the alcohol being so high and definitely noticable, it did not feel unbalanced. This wine had such a solid structure that it seemed to easily absorb the 16.4% alcohol and use it to its advantage. The minerality was strong - and accentuated even more by an excitingly piercing pepper flavor.

A remarkable wine! How did they manage to retain so much acidity in grapes picked at such a ripeness level? Unfortunately, I had not decanted it when I served it. In an email Greg Brewer told me that they recommend decanting their wines whenever possible. Finally, a Californian Chardonnay I really liked! Thanks to Brewer, Clifton and Hardy.

Tasting notes in brief:
Medium lemon color. Medium intensity of citrus, pear, herbs, spices and wet pebble stone. Dry, medium(+) acidity, high alcohol, full body. Medium intensity of minerality, pepper, bitter grapefruit. Medium(+) length with an aloholic and peppery finish.