Lapis Luna Chardonnay 2023

Drink it now or cellar for up to 8 years. No need to decant. Founded in 1999 in Santa Margherita, California, Lapis Luna is a young winery that makes value-for-money wines from trusted growers along the North Coast. The winery’s name translates to ‘stone and moon’, and the labels reference the fundamental relationship between Mother Earth and the moon, reproducing 400-year-old copper engravings. The Chardonnay grapes are harvested at night to preserve freshness, and fermented in a mix of stainless steel and lightly toasted French oak to create a balanced wine with good structure and complexity that is still a true expression of the grape and its lively fruity character. Lapis Luna Chardonnay is a youthful, easy-to-approach, and vibrant wine. On the nose, it reveals a broad and intoxicating aromatic profile with notes of ripe peach and lemon zest, toasted bread, and vanilla, on a buttery and vaguely smoky background. On the palate, it is elegant and lively, juicy and delicate, rich and full-bodied with a well-balanced acidity and a long, warm finish that recalls toasted notes. When it comes to pairing it with food, you can really let your imagination run wild: try it with pasta carbonara, a creamy vegetable risotto, fried chicken, tuna or salmon tartare with avocado, and grilled pork ribs.

Price: £15.96 from 8wines UK