Masút Vineyard and Winery, Eagle Peak (Mendocino County, California) Chardonnay Estate Vineyard 2020

($42):  Ben and Jake Fetzer, grandsons of Barney Fetzer who founded the very popular and successful Fetzer Vineyards in Mendocino County in 1968, have followed the family tradition.  Working together, they are responsible for both the viticulture and winemaking at Masút, a 1,200-acre property their parents founded in 1994.  The brothers were instrumental in establishing the Eagle Peak AVA at the headwaters of the Russian River Valley in Mendocino.  Masút focuses on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, which seem to be very well suited to the cooler climate of this elevated area.  This is a rich, but not overdone Chardonnay with lots of fruitiness, a patina of oak and fine supporting acidity that keeps it fresh and lively.  Balanced and poised, it is a refreshing departure from the overdone California Chardonnays of the past.
91 Michael Apstein Jul 5, 2022