Shafer Vineyards Carneros Red Shoulder Ranch Chardonnay 2024 (750ML)

Skipping malolactic fermentation is the defining choice behind Shafer’s Red Shoulder Ranch, and in 2024 it keeps this 100% Chardonnay light on its feet. The fruit, from several clones on Shafer’s own sustainably farmed vineyard in the Carneros hills, was whole-cluster pressed and wild-yeast fermented, then aged in French oak, 30% new, before bottling in July. Heavy winter rains refilled the soils, and a long summer of warm days and cool nights followed, its heat tempered by San Pablo Bay; a burst of warmth in early September brought the grapes to an even, unhurried ripeness. The wine shows lemon curd, tangerine, honeysuckle and a light tropical edge, with a hint of mint and a delicate, finely balanced palate. Critics’ windows run from 2025 to as late as 2037. Shrimp scampi, halibut in beurre blanc and chicken piccata are all good matches.