“Kerith Overstreet’s twins are at school with Charlie Heintz’s child, which may be how she managed to join the likes of DuMol, Littorai, Williams Selyem, etc buying this fruit. Lovely combination of rich, ripe fruit and refreshing acidity. Very successful.” – Jancis Robinson

Like 96 points successful, AND we have it with 56% off today?!

To better understand why Bruliam deserves such amazing grapes, we turn to Sonoma Magazine: “As the old saying goes, behind every good wine is a great woman. Ok, we just made that up, but in Sonoma Wine Country, it’s true. Kerith Overstreet’s father always told her, ‘You can be whatever you want after medical school.’ It turns out that what Overstreet really wanted to be was a winemaker.”

As Jancis said above, grower extraordinaire Charlie Heintz trusts only a select few with his precious harvests from a vineyard that’s undeniably as good as it gets. While she lists the wineries that have access to it, winemakers who can get their hands on this fruit source, with a cult-like following, include Thomas Rivers Brown, Ted Lemon, or Jesse Katz.

We just don’t see Chardonnay with THAT much pedigree often around here.

Wine Advocate explains, “Heintz Vineyard is widely considered a California “Grand Cru” site and has produced top-quality Chardonnay and Pinot Noir for over four decades—purchasers of these precious grapes include big names like Littorai, Dumol, Ceritas and Williams Selyem. Since 1984 it has been farmed by Charles Heintz, whose grandparents purchased the property in 1912. Originally planted to apples and other crops, the first Chardonnay grapes were planted in the Goldridge sandy loam soils in the early 1980s, followed by plantings of Pinot Noir in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The vineyard is located two ridges in from the Pacific Ocean, on a plateau near the town of Occidental in western Sonoma. At around 800-1,000 feet in elevation, fog inundates the vines each morning and afternoon, allowing grapes to reach full maturity while maintaining crisp acidity and salty mineral character.”

BINGO! That ties in exactly to what’s in our glass. Plenty of orchard fruits, caramelized citrus, quince, toasted nuts, kisses of flint and scorched earth define the nose. This then hits the palate with plenty of richness and depth, turning seriously tense on a mineral-laced, ethereal, and intensely lingering finish. It opens up beautifully with time in the glass as a rich, powerful Chardonnay, built for a good decade plus of effortless development. Should you decide to enjoy now, do it with creamy, buttery, rich delicacies.

And should you decide to pile up as advised, do it swiftly; very little was made!

96 Points – The Wine Palate “The 2023 Heintz Vineyard Chardonnay zips out of the glass with vibrant scents of lemon curd and fresh grapefruit, leading to an undercurrent of honeysuckle, orange peel, and lime blossoms. The light to medium-bodied palate shimmers with floral-laced citrus flavors, framed by a racy line and silky texture, finishing long and chalky. Drink 2026-2036.”