Niner Wine Estates, Edna Valley (Central Coast, California) Chardonnay 2016

 Winemaker Molly Bohlman has the pleasure of focusing on Chardonnay and Pinot Noir at Niner, with a facility and vineyards specifically dedicated to the varieties.  This vintage from the Edna Valley estate vineyard shows incredibly vibrant acidity for a full malolactic fermentation, allowing the wine to remain solidly in the pear, apple and citrus camp in both aroma and flavor profiles.  As you might guess, it nails my crisp and creamy markers for the variety squarely, with carefully selected mix of new and used oak adding delicate spice and texture to the wine.  There’s a delicacy here that you’ll want to be mindful of when pairing — try grilled halibut or a simply roasted chicken.  Oh — and hooray for under 14% alcohol!