This blends fruit from 40% Rita's Crown, 30% Bentrock, 16% Clos Pepe, 10% Zotovich and 4% Kessler Haak vineyards to deliver awesome aromas of salted caramel and sea spray. It's soft and lush once sipped with roasted apples and mango, speckled with even acidity and rockiness. It finishes on marshmallow-marzipan flavors, all subtly done.

Slightly darker in color (but still light gold), the smoking 2012 Chardonnay Golden Slope offers fabulous apple blossom, citrus and building toasty, creamy and spice aromas and flavors to go with a medium-bodied, rich and layered style on the palate. Seeing 13 months in 15% new French oak (the balance in neutral), this is a rock-star Cali Chardonnay that will drink nicely for 3-4 years.