2020 Acier Chardonnay
The 2020 ‘Acier’ Chardonnay offers bright floral aromas of stone fruits and jasmine with hints of lemon zest and mineral. A soft, sensuous texture unfolds with flavors of pear, peach, papaya, golden apple and citrus. The luscious purity of the mid-palate yields to length and focus on the back end, leading to a beautifully seamless finish.
92 Points, Best of Class - Los Angeles Invitational Wine Challenge
In Stock
Wine Specs
Vintage
2020
Varietal
Chardonnay
Appellation
Santa Ynez Valley
Acid
.60
pH
3.59
Aging
10 months in stainless steel
Alcohol %
14.7
Wine Profile
Tasting Notes
The 2020 Chardonnay “Acier” delivers bright aromas of pear, pineapple and tangerine. A lively, luscious texture reveals flavors of honeydew melon, mango and banana with trailing notes of spice and lime zest. Beautiful weight and body yield to zippy acidity on a crisp, harmonious finish.
Vineyard Notes
The 35-acre Brick Barn estate vineyard lies just north of the Santa Ynez River in a largely unexplored winegrowing corridor near the city of Buellton in the western Santa Ynez Valley. With the Pacific Ocean just 10 miles away, the marine
influence is forceful, yet solar exposure remains persistent—a providential combination that produces fruit with extraordinary dimension. The 2020 Chardonnay Acier comes equally from Clone 4 at Block 5 and Clone 809 from Block 6. These adjacent blocks are located right behind the winery in the lower sheltered portion of the estate. Here, sandy riverbed soils foster expressive varietal character in our Chardonnay, while persistent Pacific breezes help maintain vibrant acidity right through full maturity. Clones 4 and 809 both deliver bright Chardonnay fruit tones with pronounced tropical flavors.
Winemaker Notes
The grapes were harvested at night on September 15 and September 18. After gentle pressing, each lot was cold settled at 32 degrees for four days, then racked to stainless steel fermentation tanks. Fermentation proceeded over a period of 10 days with Assmanhausen yeast, which provided an intentionally neutral canvas for showcasing pure fruit expression. After fermentation, the wine was aged in stainless steel tanks for 10 months at 40 degrees to develop textural complexity while ensuring the retention of crisp acidity and vivid varietal flavors.
Food Pairing Notes
The bright, vivid character of the 2020 Chardonnay “Acier” is a perfect match for grilled citrus chicken, lemon butter cod, creamy pastas and salads with fresh fruit.
Other Notes
“Acier” is the French word for steel, making it an apt name for this stylistically unique Chardonnay from the Brick Barn Estate. Fermented and cold-aged entirely in stainless steel tanks, this 2020 Chardonnay is all about experiencing bright
textures with an abundantly pure fruit character.
Product Reviews
Kristina Benchek
(Sep 24, 2022 at 9:47 AM)
I have always been a red wine lover. However, with the hot days plaguing us lately I became a white convert. This is refreshing, fruity and easy on the palate. Enjoyably cool on a blistering hot day.
Nancy Peterson
(Mar 8, 2023 at 1:03 PM)
My favorite wine at Brick Barn! Refreshing and perfect for all occasions. Or no occasions!
Colin Newsom
(Mar 8, 2023 at 4:16 PM)
This is my go-to white wine because it's a chardonnay that even my chardonnay-skeptic partner loves.
Shelby Swanson
(Mar 9, 2023 at 11:13 AM)
This has been my go-to wine when visiting Brick Barn lately! It’s such a refreshing white. Easy to drink and not too sweet. I love sitting at Brick Barn enjoying a glass of this!