Review: 2023 Alma Rosa Chardonnay and Pinot Noir – Santa Rita Hills

Alma Rosa Winery makes its home near the El Jabali estate in the the Santa Rita Hills of California, a vineyard originally planted by pioneer Richard Sanford in 1983. Today, Alma Rosa has been run by winemaker Samra Morris since 2019, where she turns out chardonnay and pinot noir wines, along with some Rhone-styled offerings. (Our last review was for the 2018 vintage, so the timing is great.)

Today we look at the operation’s newest chardonnay and pinot releases, both from the broader Santa Rita Hills AVA rather than the El Jabali vineyard directly.

2023 Alma Rosa Chardonnay Santa Rita Hills – A fairly hearty chardonnay, this wine isn’t at all shy about its oak aging, to the point where I recommend letting it sit in glass for a good 10 minutes before you tuck into it. After some of the heavier vanilla and toasted wood notes dissipate slightly, the wine’s apple and lemon curd elements take the reins before it cruises toward a midpalate that’s thick with notes of honeydew and Asian pear. The experience feels almost slathered in vanilla custard throughout, the finish particularly lingering on a cake-like quality. B+ / $40

2023 Alma Rosa Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills – My first bottle of this wine was corked and largely unpalatable. Fortunately, Alma Rosa sent a pair of each of these wines, and my backup bottle offered a much more pleasant experience, featuring clear fruit notes, blackberry prominent over a slight, underlying pruniness and a hint of balsamic. Hints of violet and rhubarb are gentle and complementary, with a finish that sees gentle sweetness and a moderated smear of forest floor. Give the wine some time to open up and it should charm you. B+ / $50

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