External search
Google (images)
Wine Advocate
Wine Spectator
Burghound
Wine-Searcher
Vintages
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
From this producer
Show all wines
All tasting notes
|
| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 90.2 pts. and median of 91 pts. in 49 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by kanowsky on 11/13/2017 & rated 93 points: Went quite well with smoked salmon. (1410 views) | | | Tasted by loloFR on 11/13/2016 & rated 90 points: to be drunk. still good but very california. important to match properly with food. a bit too much alone (2170 views) | | | Tasted by EducatedDrunk on 9/5/2016 & rated 89 points: Drinking deliciously - plan B after a corked Mersault. Some oak on the nose, but not so much on the palate. High alcohol masked by the fruit - well balanced. (2349 views) | | | Tasted by loloFR on 11/1/2015 & rated 91 points: drink very well. high acidity coupled with buttery flavor. not the depth and minerality of chassagne, but very enjoyable (2623 views) | | | Tasted by drrobvino on 1/31/2013 & rated 91 points: Initially opened last night, where I enjoyed a few glasses and recorked the wine. Tasting note from 1-2 days later.
The color is clear in appearance, with a pale/med lemon-green color, fading to a watery rim.
The nose is in good condition, in a developing stage, showing med intensity notes of green apple, pineapple, lemon curd, and peaty notes in the upper register.
The palate shows a dry wine, med(+) in alcohol, and med(+) in body, offering up med(+) intensity flavors of melon, passion fruit, citrusy lemon, and pineapple, with a bit of chalk and rocks showing up near the end. The wine possesses med acidity, and shows some light oak-derived tannins, leading into the med(+) length, apple, honey and chalk finish.
This is a very good quality wine that has aged nicely for 5 years, and is in a perfect drinking window right now. I would estimate another 2-3 years of enjoyable drinking, but why wait? It is a bit opulent and lush in the mid palate, and has gorgeous finishing tension. (4390 views) | | | Tasted by Ken63 on 10/22/2012 & rated 92 points: citrus, melon, nice acidity, very nice, more complex flavors and integrated acidity and bottles tasted last year earlier before. They improve for another year. (3538 views) | | | Tasted by cubswinws on 8/29/2012 & rated 91 points: Well done,lively and crisp. (3174 views) | | | Tasted by Daffo on 8/11/2012: Gillar detta (3140 views) | | | Tasted by tcn67 on 3/17/2012 & rated 89 points: I felt oak and smoke in the smell and the taste wad very good with a clear taste of citrus. Worked out great with fresh shrimps and aioli. (2978 views) | | | Tasted by Teamcrev on 2/16/2012: A little too tart up front for our taste, but we liked that there was little oak. It was certainly lively and crisp, just not for us. (1668 views) | | | Tasted by chefpete on 12/11/2011 & rated 92 points: Big hit at a dinner party. (1929 views) | | | Tasted by cubswinws on 11/27/2011 & rated 90 points: Crisp and lively. Citrus and soft oak. Well done. (1941 views) | | | Tasted by dbarco on 10/23/2011 & rated 88 points: Nicely acidic, moderate oak, honey, lemon and a bit of apple. Very nice. I ordered some more. (2215 views) | | | Tasted by Freegrazer on 7/10/2011: Excellent (2447 views) | | | Tasted by Judithal on 6/5/2011 & rated 90 points: fresh ,crisp (2347 views) | | | Tasted by Judithal on 6/5/2011 & rated 90 points: fresh,crisp,drinks well (2376 views) | | | Tasted by fisk15 on 5/7/2011 & rated 87 points: Less integrated than the last bottle, with spicy oak and lemony acidity taking front stage. Hoping for a repeat performance of the 1st bottle and did not happen. (2464 views) | | | Tasted by cookie7 on 5/2/2011 & rated 86 points: Pop and pour - note after 3 hours. Melon, apple and oak on the palate. On the palate, this seems a bit heavy and dominated by oak. A lot of interesting flavors, but seems a bit out of balance. (2493 views) | | | Tasted by hubas on 11/23/2010 & rated 87 points: Deep yellow color, a hint of burnt sugar. The oak is quite noticeable and the flavor reminds me of very young apples. (2982 views) | | | Tasted by Finare Vinare on 11/22/2010 & rated 86 points: Fruity nose of lemon zest, green notes of asparagus and leaves, some sensations of fried ground meat, discrete toasty oak. Very intense and lemony on the palate. Marked alcohol (14,6%) together with sharp acids produce a hard and slightly burning mouthfeel. Not our kind of chardonnay, so pass. (3201 views) | | | Tasted by olofst on 11/18/2010 & rated 88 points: Fair enough chardonnay but doesn't really stand up to similar bourgognes or even a New Zealander like Cloudy Bay. Way too high alcohol. (3114 views) | | | Tasted by bwillia on 11/14/2010 & rated 90 points: This is a nice understated Chard dominated by food friendly acidity and nice flavors of green apple and pear with a backbone of minerality. (3123 views) | | | Tasted by tcfishler on 8/11/2010: Santa Barbara (Santa Barbara, CA): Boisterous nose, with yeasty bread, lemon, and granny smith. Outstandingly balanced...a veritable model of restraint. I would be good and drunk before growing tired of this one. (4158 views) | | | Tasted by tantotinto on 8/9/2010 & rated 91 points: We tried this for the first time a month ago. We decided to try another bottle this evening because we had some of the 2008 Sea Smoke left from the prior evening to compare. They share a funky nose as well as citric, briny and acidic flavor elements. The Sea Smoke is fuller and creamier. It's fruit profile is deeper and more complex. Were price no object we would pick the Sea Smoke every time. Price considered it is a closer call. Both are excellent. (3540 views) | | | Tasted by MWiking on 8/3/2010 & rated 89 points: riktigt bra vin, hög syra men med luft 1 timme så var det helt underbart. (3801 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Jeb Dunnuck
JebDunnuck.com, A Spotlight on Santa Barbara (7/31/2018)
(Brewer-Clifton Chardonnay Sta. Rita Hills White) Login and sign up and see review text. | By Josh Raynolds
Vinous, November/December 2009, IWC Issue #147
(Brewer Clifton Chardonnay Sta. Rita Hills) Subscribe to see review text. |  By Gary Vaynerchuk
Wine Library TV, California Chardonnay Throwdown, Episode #769 (11/17/2009)
(Brewer Clifton Santa Rita Hills Chardonnay) #2; COLOR-medium golden; NOSE-like dirty engine smoke; a little petrol tire action; a little banana peel as well; PALATE-I'm very intrigued by the nice acidity on this wine (reminds me of Chablis); a little burnt wood action on the sides of my palate; half Macon White Burg and half California sunshine which I like as balance is key in Chardonnay's; I like the clean crispness and the tropical guava/kiwi flavor I get; I like the acid; this delivers for $35 bones; wither, whither; JR-90; GV-90+ 90+ points |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of JebDunnuck.com and Vinous and Wine Library TV. (manage subscription channels) |
| Brewer-Clifton Producer website
Addt'l Info (Jackson Family Wine Group)
Born of an obsession with Santa Barbara County terroir, we formed Brewer-Clifton in the early 1990’s. We both had significant sales and production experience with a multitude of Santa Barbara County wineries, and always felt compelled to push the limits of the fruit from the area further than our previous employers had set forth to do. We set out to put the essence of the best vineyards in the area into a bottle.
We focus our efforts solely on the production of vineyard designated Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from several carefully selected, extreme vineyards in the Sta. Rita Hills appellation. The area's long growing seasons and diversity of marine-based soils combine to produce dynamic and explosive wines with great purity and precision. Each vineyard site is nurtured identically, allowing the pedigree of place to play the most significant role in our portfolio of wines.
In addition to our collective efforts, Steve Clifton also produces wine under his own label, called Palmina, which focuses exclusively on Italian varietals, and is the winemaker at Tritono, an Argentine producer of Malbec. Greg Brewer produces wine under the diatom label, as well as being the winemaker at Melville, a Santa Rita Hills winery dedicated to estate grown Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah.
Brewer-Clifton wines are only available in small quantities. Total production averages between 4,000 and 6,500 cases annually.
Brewer-Clifton is owned and operated by Steve Clifton, a musician, and Greg Brewer, a former professor of French. The pair started Brewer-Clifton in 1995 and they source grapes from the Santa Rita Hills appellation. Brewer-Clifton makes Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and sparkling wine. The wines earn ratings in the 90s from reviewers, and Wine Advocate has noted that “Brewer and Clifton consistently deliver delicious wines that are also deeply thought provoking with regards to the potential these vineyard sites hold.”Chardonnay The Chardonnay GrapeUSAAmerican wine has been produced since the 1500s, with the first widespread production beginning in New Mexico in 1628. Today, wine production is undertaken in all fifty states, with California producing 84% of all U.S. wine. The continent of North America is home to several native species of grape, including Vitis labrusca, Vitis riparia, Vitis rotundifolia, and Vitis vulpina, but the wine-making industry is based almost entirely on the cultivation of the European Vitis vinifera, which was introduced by European settlers. With more than 1,100,000 acres (4,500 km2) under vine, the United States is the fourth-largest wine producing country in the world, after Italy, Spain, and France.California2021 vintage: "Unlike almost all other areas of the state, the Russian River Valley had higher than normal crops in 2021, which has made for a wine of greater generosity and fruit forwardness than some of its stablemates." - Morgan Twain-Peterson Central Coasthttp://www.ccwinegrowers.org/links.html
http://www.discovercaliforniawines.com/regional-wine-organizations/
http://beveragetradenetwork.com/en/btn-academy/list-of-winegrowers-association-in-central-coast-california-274.htm
Central Coast AVA Wikipedia |
|
