2018 Chardonnay Lucky Well Vineyard

The 2018 vintage of Lucky Well Vineyard Chardonnay is the first since the passing of our longtime friend and legendary viticulturist Ulises Valdez. In his short lifetime he accomplished what very few others have ever achieved – discovering, nurturing and developing a handful of world-class Chardonnay and Pinot Noir vineyards from scratch.

Normally vineyards are handed from one owner to the next, with a great deal of resources spent defining a new vision, from clonal selection and vine spacing to pruning and irrigation. Not so with Ulises, who planted his own vineyards only after careful research and collaboration with winemakers. He was a true innovator who harnessed his innate grower’s instinct, treating each cluster as unique and sovereign.

The result at Lucky Well each year is a masterful Chardonnay: a crisp, mineral-driven New World interpretation of Grand Cru Chablis. His legacy carries on with his family and at Lucky Well – we are proud and grateful to continue working with them both.