Ojai's Clima Frío wines replace what they used to call Santa Barbara County cuvees. While that appellation-level name fit their Burgundian inspirations at The Ojai Vineyard, the name didn’t adequately capture what they were doing in the region. Santa Barbara County is a large appellation with intense East-West temperature gradients, even within the Sta. Rita Hills, where some Eastern pockets are better suited to Syrah and Grenache than they are for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
The Clima Frío (or cool-climate) wines express Ojai's commitment to the coolest, most Western viticultural pockets of their region. Places where each variety benefits from ocean influence that ensures slow, gradual ripening and retention of nuance and natural acidity.
This Clima Frío Chardonnay comes from grapes grown at Rancho Ontiveros in the Santa Maria Valley (56%), along with fruit from Yellow Foxtrot (44%), a newer planting that’s nestled in the hills very close to Lompoc (just Northwest of the Sta. Rita Hills).
ANTONIO GALLONI 93 POINTS - "The 2023 Chardonnay Clima Frío is fabulous. Rich, creamy and expansive, the 2023 offers striking depth for an appellation-level wine. Apricot, tangerine peel, hazelnut and lightly honeyed notes build into the deep, resonant finish. The Clima Frio is essentially the Santa Barbara County bottling with a new name. Vineyard sites are Rancho Ontiveros and Yellow Fox Trot."
The Clima Frío (or cool-climate) wines express Ojai's commitment to the coolest, most Western viticultural pockets of their region. Places where each variety benefits from ocean influence that ensures slow, gradual ripening and retention of nuance and natural acidity.
This Clima Frío Chardonnay comes from grapes grown at Rancho Ontiveros in the Santa Maria Valley (56%), along with fruit from Yellow Foxtrot (44%), a newer planting that’s nestled in the hills very close to Lompoc (just Northwest of the Sta. Rita Hills).
ANTONIO GALLONI 93 POINTS - "The 2023 Chardonnay Clima Frío is fabulous. Rich, creamy and expansive, the 2023 offers striking depth for an appellation-level wine. Apricot, tangerine peel, hazelnut and lightly honeyed notes build into the deep, resonant finish. The Clima Frio is essentially the Santa Barbara County bottling with a new name. Vineyard sites are Rancho Ontiveros and Yellow Fox Trot."
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