2022 Thomas Fogarty Santa Cruz Mountains Estate Chardonnay 6pk 6x750ml

In 1976, Dr. Thomas Fogarty — pioneering heart surgeon and medical device inventor — purchased 350 acres in the northern Santa Cruz Mountains to preserve as open space. The following year, he partnered with fourth-generation grape grower Michael Martella to plant vines. By 1981, Thomas Fogarty Winery was born. Nearly 30 acres are farmed organically today, perched between 1,400 and 2,000 feet on steep slopes of fractured sandstone — terrain built for Chardonnay with vibration and mineral cut.

The Santa Cruz Mountains AVA is one of California's most dramatic appellations: cool Pacific fog meets high-elevation ridgelines, delivering the acid tension and aromatic clarity that separate mountain fruit from valley fruit. Chardonnay from this appellation trades richness for precision — citrus over tropical, stone over butter.

The 2022 vintage opened with a late spring frost that damaged the young clusters, then delivered a record-breaking heat event over Labor Day. Yields dropped hard, but the concentration intensified. Winemaker Nathan Kandler — at the estate since 2004 — ferments with native yeast, ages in neutral oak for 10–12 months on the lees without stirring, then racks to stainless for another 4–6 months. The result is a vintage that drinks forward and sits on a larger frame than the estate's norm, but still carries the clarity and energy the site is known for.

In the glass: citrus peel and pith, melon rind, crushed rock on the nose. The palate zips with lemon-syrup acidity, offering nectarine and peach while staying tight and bright. Wine Enthusiast called it "vibrant" and "earthy," scoring it 92 points. i-WineReview noted the silky texture, the slight hint of oak, and the acidity that enlivens the palate — another 92. This is mountain Chardonnay with the dial turned toward fruit and drinkability, but the bones are still pure Santa Cruz.