Talbott Sleepy Hollow Vineyard Chardonnay 2022
(Santa Lucia Highlands, California) - [JS 93]

Vinous - Josh Raynolds writes May 2022:

"If any winery can claim to be a pioneer of Monterey County, it’s Talbott, which was established in 1982, in Carmel. Seemingly overnight, Talbott set a new standard for California, indeed, American Chardonnay. Talbott’s impact on the world’s view of the variety from the Golden State was altered, unlike anything seen since Chalone Vineyards arrived on the scene in 1972. The Sleepy Hollow estate vineyard, which was originally planted in 1972, now sprawls across 565 acres and has always been the source for most of the winery’s fruit. Now owned by the Gallo family (since 2015) quality at Talbott continues at an admirably high level, even if the competition has become fiercer. Recent years’ bottlings, under the direction of head winemaker David Coventry, have been the best wines ever made here, especially when it comes to Pinot Noir. I found these 2019s to be outstanding, across the board. The Kali Hart Chardonnay and Pinot Noir must be counted among America’s greatest values for their respective varieties, and they are even more impressive when one considers how much is made."