Matthiasson Napa Valley Chardonnay – Linda Vista Vineyard 2023

Steve Matthiasson is one of Napa’s most respected viticulturists, the guy other winemakers call when their vineyards are in trouble. His own Linda Vista Vineyard in the cooler Oak Knoll district is where he gets to do things exactly his way.

We tasted through their portfolio with his wife Jill during harvest last fall and this one stopped us cold. No malolactic fermentation, restrained oak, and a Chardonnay that looks nothing like the buttery, heavy-handed stuff Napa made its name on. This is all tension and precision: Meyer lemon, white peach, wet stone, and a spine of acidity that makes it one of the most food-friendly whites we carry. Put it next to grilled fish or a plate of rockfish ceviche and you’ll understand immediately why we keep coming back to it.