Santa Julia

This Maipú Chardonnay spent 50 days on its skins to subtly achieve an orange style characterized by creamy tannins and a total lack of bitterness. By avoiding the common pitfalls of extended maceration, it remains fresh and balanced. It pairs perfectly with sea urchins or fried fish served chilled, and it is equally excellent with sardines.

Whenever I look at a bottle of “natural wine” or read a press release extolling the hands-off gospel, I remember the agony of sitting in fire-and-brimstone church services as a child; fortunately, my childhood was brief. This is an organic wine and an orange one where the juice was left on the skin for flavor and coloration. If you can filter the sermons out of it, the wine is actually quite tasty, with the skins also giving added flavors and texture. The result is a rosé-style Chardonnay, juicy and pleasantly tart. Amen. 90 Roger Morris