2024 Diatom Chardonnay Santa Barbara County

“The 2024 Chardonnay is, yet again, a gorgeous, singular wine with so much regional identity and soul, especially at its ridiculously low price point. There's fabulous weight and density here, eschewing varietal signature in favor of floral lift, creamy, oily yet weightless textures, and a long, salt-lick of a finish. This is such an impressively high-quality wine at this scale of production (40,000 cases). Drinking Window: 2025 – 2031 Greg Brewer’s Diatom Chardonnay is one of the greatest value wines in all of California. Conceived more as a wine of place than of varietal expression, the 2024 is a product of what Greg Brewer calls ‘a normal California vintage with ample sun and some heat at the end of September.’ Most impressively, this wine delivers so much character at a 40,000-case production level. Staggering.” – Billy Norris Review Date: August 2025

# 18 of Top 100 Wines of 2025 “This white’s sleek mix of ripe pear, ginger and pomelo flavors show striking restraint, coiled around a mouthwatering thread of acidity. Details of lime zest, white peppercorn and dried tarragon linger, along with a whiff of sea spray. Drink now.” – MaryAnn Worobiec Review Date: November 2025