Step into the refined world of Diatom Chardonnay, a wine that captures the essence of Santa Barbara County’s coastal beauty. Each bottle is a tribute to the region's cool-climate vineyards and rich marine influence, crafted by winemaker Greg Brewer. Known for its vibrant acidity and clean, mineral finish, Diatom Chardonnay is a minimalist’s dream—no oak, no malolactic fermentation, just pure expression of Chardonnay’s true character.

Why does Diatom focus so intently on this varietal? It’s a story of passion and precision. Greg Brewer, founder and winemaker, has dedicated his career to highlighting the unique terroir of the Sta. Rita Hills. This focus has led to accolades like the Wine Enthusiast Wine Star Award in 2020 for Winemaker of the Year and recognition of Santa Barbara as a world-class wine region.

The result is a wine that offers an unparalleled drinking experience—imagine a glass that’s crisp and bright, with layers of citrus, sea spray, and a touch of salinity. Perfect on its own or paired with fresh seafood, it’s a wine that speaks to the purity of the place it comes from.

The Mission Hills Vineyard in Los Alamos is known for its unique soil composition, which significantly influences the character of wines produced there, including Diatom Chardonnay. The vineyard features ancient marine-based soils with a mix of sand, silt, and clay. These soils retain moisture well, allowing for slow and steady vine growth even in dry conditions, which is essential for developing complex flavor profiles. Additionally, the calcareous content (high in calcium carbonate) in the soils contributes to a vibrant minerality in the wines, imparting a crisp, fresh quality to the Diatom Chardonnay. This soil structure, combined with the region's cool, coastal climate, helps preserve acidity, resulting in a wine that is both elegant and expressive of its terroir.

Greg Brewer has been a pivotal figure in the Sta. Rita Hills wine scene for over 30 years, championing the region’s unique terroir. He co-founded Brewer-Clifton in 1996, focusing on producing Pinot Noir and Chardonnay that truly reflect the area's cool climate and marine influence. His deep connection to Sta. Rita Hills is evident in his winemaking philosophy—emphasizing balance, precision, and a transparent expression of place. Brewer’s dedication has helped elevate Sta. Rita Hills into one of California’s most acclaimed regions for cool-climate wines.

Diatom Chardonnay continues to receive impressive accolades, with the 2023 vintage earning 94 points from Jeb Dunnuck, 93 points from Wine Spectator and 93 point from Decanter. These latest scores highlight the ongoing excellence of Diatom’s minimalist approach to Chardonnay, focusing on purity and precision. Past vintages have also achieved significant recognition, such as a 98 from Robert Parker for the 2021 vintage and inclusion in the Wine Spectator Top 100 for the 2022 vintage, solidifying Diatom's reputation as a leader in high-quality, cool-climate Chardonnay.

Jeb Dunnuck 94 points

“Made by Greg Brewer and already bottled, the 2023 Chardonnay comes from the Mission Mills Vineyard just outside of Los Alamos. Its vivid medium gold hue is followed by a vibrant nose of salted citrus, tangerine, exotic flowers, and subtle spice. Medium-bodied, pure, rounded, and beautifully balanced, it has plenty of power and density, integrated acidity, and a great finish. This impeccably made Chardonnay should be snatched up by readers, as it competes with wines at two to three times the price.”

Wine Spectator 93 points

“This stunning wine leaps out of the glass, with concentrated flavors of white peach, quince and pineapple, plus floral accents of orange blossoms and lemon curd. Finishes with mouthwatering acidity, a note of crunchy sea salt minerality and a whiff of lemon verbena.”

Decanter 93 points

“One of the region's perennial top-value Chardonnays that retains the truest sense of place. With the aroma of salty sea air and dried white flowers, winemaker Greg Brewer calls the wine ‘big and neutral, blurring the lines of expectation.’ Spicy lime flavours combined with cardamom, tingly acidity, and a dash of white pepper finish it off.”

Diatom 2023 Santa Rita Hills Chardonnay

This little gem from the Santa Rita Hills wowed us all and got Dena truly giddy over the zesty acidity and wild honey suckle vivaciousness. With wonderful notes of apricot, persimmon, citrus and kumquat, this is not your typical California Chardonnay. We loved the bright notes of wood sorrel, common lemon clover, and the lasting sea salt finish. This wine is a perfect match with charcuterie, lobster risotto and Thanksgiving dinner!

On a special note we also tried a chardonnay at the same time costing three times as much and everyone in the tasting group favored the Diatom.

Regular Price: $29.99

*Sale price is on 6 or more bottle purchase

Wine is packed in a 12-bottle case

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*Wine pricing for these wine promotions are held for two weeks after the email offer.

We can hold wines in unpaid reserves for two weeks to allow you time to pick up your wine. If it takes you longer than that to pick up your wines, give us a call, and we can process your wine and move it to paid reserves.

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—Yankee Spirits Wine Team

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