BXT, San Benito County (California) Wheeler Vineyard Chardonnay Blanc de Blanc 2023 ($59)

Sourced from a 50-year-old Wente Clone Chardonnay rooted in Pleasanton loam — a deeper, well-drained soil that naturally concentrates flavor — this 2023 Wheeler Vineyard Blanc de Blancs offers a rare glimpse into California’s viticultural past. The vines are on original AXR-1 rootstock, once valued for its vigor and drought tolerance, but which proved vulnerable during the late-20th-century phylloxera outbreak. The few AXR-1 plantings that survived, like this one, are now exceptionally rare. The wine is intensely mineral-driven yet remarkably layered, showing golden apple, citrus pith, and creamy lemon, supported by a refined, savory brioche note. A subtle herbal lift adds tension, and a whisper of honey — very understated — threads gracefully across the palate. The finish goes on and on. It is one of those wines that astonishes with how much flavor and complexity can unfold in a single sip. In today’s landscape of serious California sparkling wine, this bottling stands among the very best.
96 Miranda Franco