Chardonnay SLO Coast

Scar of the Sea is the project of Mikey Giugni, one of California’s most thoughtful young winemakers, working from a purpose-built cellar in the fog belt of San Luis Obispo County. His SLO Coast Chardonnay is among the most compelling expressions of the variety in California — cool, taut, and deeply mineral, with none of the oak or butter that once defined the style. Whole-cluster pressing feeds native yeast fermentation in neutral vessel, and the wine spends extended time on its lees to build texture. What emerges is a wine of real restraint and depth: lemon curd, white nectarine, wet stone, and a saline persistence that lingers well past the last sip. If you think you don’t like Chardonnay, this wine would like a word.