| CLICK HERE to read more about wineries in this region! Chardonnay: What the Winemakers of SLO Wine Country Say The roots of the green-skinned Chardonnay grape—believed to have originated in the Burgundy wine region of eastern France—didn’t find their way into the black clay soil of California’s southern San Luis Obispo County until the early 1970s. But they quickly took a liking to their new home and today, Chardonnay flourishes in the Edna, Arroyo Grande, and Avila Valleys, which together are referred to as San Luis Obispo Wine Country. At one time, this region was covered with water. Dig down a bit and you’ll find seashells intermixed with water, allowing ideal drainage conditions. Ocean breezes, a cool maritime climate, and an almost-daily appearance of fog make the area a perfect incubator for Chardonnay. “One of the best,” SLO Wine Country Winemakers nearly say in unison. And they have much more to say on the subject than that. When interviewed, the winemakers of San Luis Obispo Wine Country are quick to praise Chardonnay for its flexibility. It willingly adapts to a wide variety of terroir and expresses those flavors, but it is also malleable in the winemaking process. Appellations drive flavor, but winemakers get to tweak it. Decisions like skin contact time, fermentation methods, and whether to oak or not to oak (and if to oak, what kind and how long?) are entirely up to them. Beyond that, Chardonnay is flexible in price. There is Chardonnay to everyone’s liking to suit their pocketbook. It is widely recognized and widely loved. And, the varietal is flexible in the way it pairs with foods. “Chardonnay is a very, very classic grape. I think it’s the great white grape,” proclaims Edna Valley Vineyard’s Harry Hansen. His neighboring winemakers share his enthusiasm. And then some.
“Our vineyards’ sandy areas give a very bright lemon-lime expression to the fruit. On the clay we tend to get a pear- or peach-nectarine flavor. That pear-nectarine expression is entirely unique to Edna Valley Chardonnay. I’ve never tasted it from another growing region.” Harry Hansen, Edna Valley Vineyard “The most important thing in Chardonnay production is—it has to be near the ocean. If I were looking for a perfect vineyard site, I’d want to be near the coast. The long hang time we get in the Avila Valley gets us more concentration and flavor.” Harold Osborne, Kelsey See Canyon “The vineyards get the breezes coming in off of Morro Bay and it sucks the fog in for a nice cool growing season.” Chuck Ortman, Ortman Family WinesOn Technique “I’d say that the biggest challenge faced by winemakers in this region is to try and tone down the over-fruitiness of the wine. We try to make a well balanced wine by introducing malolactic fermentation to the wine and using different strains of yeast. Also, the types of barrels used play an important role in balancing the outcome. Cool fermentation is necessary. Vineyard selections put their own stamp on the flavor and balance in the wine and length of the fermentation.” Chuck Ortman, Ortman Family Wines “Chardonnay is flexible in terms of the styles you can apply.” Harry Hansen, Edna Valley Vineyard “I’ve been working with Chardonnay for 30 years and—if it’s with well-farmed, good disease-free clones, and the weather cooperates, I’m confident it’s going to be a good wine. You have to start with really good grapes.” Larry Brooks, Tolosa “In this area, winemakers just try to deliver what the vineyard delivers us.” Harold Osborne, Kelsey See Canyon On Taste “In the Edna Valley Chardonnays, we seem to have quite a bit of minerality and then some tropical characters…more pale pineapple… We’re not a typical California Chardonnay.” Christian Roguenant, Baileyana/Tangent |
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