2015 Joseph Phelps Chardonnay Freestone Vineyards

The Chardonnays are all barrel-fermented in puncheons and barrels, and go through 100% malolactic. The 2015 Chardonnay Freestone Vineyard has a rock star nose of opulent pineapple, guava and green mango notes with touches of brioche and butterscotch. Medium-bodied with a satiny texture, it fills the palate with intense tropical fruits and savory flavors, marked by a lively backbone and finishing with some minerality.

Voluptuously succulent and welcoming, this coastal wine seduces with its caramel apple, pear and preserved lemon flavors, edged with high-toned acidity and an exotic touch of seaspray. That sense of the sea plays out on the palate in texture, too, with a stony note that lingers in nutty spice. -V.B.