Heads up Operatives! This is the tip. The good stuff. You have the truth in front of you, all you need to do is open your eyes and wallet!

The best Chardonnay we’ve seen this year, BY A MILE. From Santa Barbara’s finest vineyards. And it’s 44% OFF!?! For reals?!

The Stringer family comes from a manufacturing background in metalworking (remember their Metal Bender deliciousness?) - stamps, machinery, all kinds of fabrication. Casey Stringer caught the wine bug on a chance visit to Napa Valley. He needed to scratch that itch and left Wisconsin to go to college in Santa Barbara. From there he worked at a range of great wineries - Robert Sinskey in Napa Valley, Archery Summit in Oregon, as well as numerous New Zealand wineries where he took up a formal winemaking education, and finally at Screaming Eagle’s sister cult winery Jonata! Today he, along with his wife and their two boys, make outstanding Chard, Cab, and Syrah from famed top sites.

This Santa Barbara Chardonnay is like a who’s who of celebrity vineyards. About half is from legendary Bien Nacido along with a touch of fruit from Sierra Madre in Santa Maria Valley, and the remainder is made up of John Sebastiano and Peake Ranch in Sta. Rita Hills both known for outstanding fruit used by Paul Lato, Foxen and Byron.

Profoundly aromatic with notes of peach, vanilla bean and mandarin orange. On the palate, it is bright and fresh with layered florals, vibrant citrus and an intriguing touch of salinity, speaking to its coastal influences. The balance of acidity and minerality is done beautifully. It drinks like a Meursault from a ripe vintage, on steroids. Think orange and fennel lobster cakes, all crunchy and buttery for just one of the many pairings that come to mind.

One of those “now or forever hold your peace” situations and only so much to go around!