Mission Codename Wonder Woman
Before we begin… the previous vintage of this barely lasted half a day, and this vintage will go fast too.
Did you already add some to your locker? Good. Now we can talk wine.
Cause we’ve got a soul-stimulating Chard to drink with utter joy-filled abandon. Any time, any place.
Iconic describes it as “near perfection in our mind of what Chardonnay can be.” Wine Enthusiast had given the 2017 a healthy 95 points, describing: “From a stellar site hidden within the appellation, this white is native fermented and aged in neutral French oak. Anise, fennel, and stone highlight a robust mouthfeel that evolves into green apple and a hint of pear, lasting in both impressive structure and fresh acidity.” We think this even better 2018, is yet to be reviewed.
Then you see we knocked the price down from $55 to a much friendlier $29. Overdelivering on all fronts, that’s for sure. But with only just 3 barrels made and barely enough to share with you for an offer, the clock is ticking!
This was made by a little-known rockstar of a winemaker named Birk O’Halloran. He teamed up with Karl Antle with one goal in mind - making the best wines possible. They’re living up to that claim and this perfectly expresses why Chardonnay is the favorite grape for many winemakers. With the right imprint, it turns downright sophisticated, flashy, sexy, and irresistible.
Sourced from Michael Mara Vineyard in the Petaluma Gap. Who else sources fruit from this special site? Matthiasson for one actually owns, and farms this tiny 4-acre site, making his own most highly regarded Chardonnay. And Ultramarine the cult sparkling operation. And Broc Cellars too, another hugely popular boutique producer among somms and geeks out there. Good company to be in. Speaking of… Chris Brockway explains that “The site is very special, as the rocks in the soil came from a cataclysmic landslide. This Clone 4 Chardonnay works well with the site - giving it high acid, exposing the rocky terrain, for a unique expression of the grape.”
Crisp as a Chablis, with tons of mineral, intense apple, and pear fruit to spare. It has strength, style, and sophistication. Basically, all you can ask for from a cool influenced, unadulterated style. Pure as a crystal-clear spring and just as refreshing, revitalizing, and invigorating. So much wine for the money.
If you’re remotely interested in elevated, boutique single-site Chardonnay, this is it, and it just won’t last again.
What the Winery Says
2018 'Heroine' Michael Mara Vineyard Chardonnay
- Winemaker
- Birk O’Halloran
- Varietal
- 100% Chardonnay
- Vintage
- 2018
- Alcohol
- 13.2%
- Appellation
- Sonoma Valley, Sonoma County
- Vineyard
- Michael Mara Vineyard
- Soils
- Volcanic origin alluvial cobble and gravel
- Clones
- Wente 4
- Total acidity
- 7.8 g/L
- pH
- 3.29
- Residual sugar
- <0.5 g/L
- Aging
- 11 months
- Barrels
- 100% neutral French oak
- Production
- 4 barrels