Slightly more fresh and vivid on the nose, the 2011 Chardonnay Rosella’s Vineyard offers up lively aromas of lemongrass, edgy minerality, sappy flowers and crisp apples to go with a medium-bodied, juicy mouthfeel. More lean and fresh than the Soberanes Vineyards, it has a solid mid-palate, juicy acidity and excellent focus through the finish. It should fill in with another 6-12 months of bottle age and have 5-6 years of overall longevity. Drink 2014-2017.
A top producer in the Santa Lucia Highlands, Roar is run by Gary and Rosella Franscioni, with the wines now made by Scott Shapley as of the 2013 vintage (they were previously made by Ed Kurtzman). This is fantastic lineup of Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs.
Tel. (831) 675-1681; www.roarwines.com