2023 CAST Chardonnay, Ghianda Rose Vineyard, Mendocino
Tasting Notes
This wine is such a favorite of mine. This wine starts with aromas of white peach, white and yellow flowers, lychee, blanched almonds, lemon curd, and lemongrass. The palate is nicely balanced with fruit, good texture, and bright minerality. The white peach nectar notes dominate but are balanced with lime zest and some orange zest notes as well. The finish is white rocks, lemon and lime zest, and creamy orange curd. So delicious!
The 2023 vintage was a nice reprieve from the dry vintages of the last 5 years. We had TONS of rainfall during the winter and spring, which was followed by a very temperate growing season. While the weather eventually did get warm in early September, that nice, slow, and long even ripening was so nice for our grapes.
Winemaker Notes
These grapes were hand-picked in the early morning hours around 21 brix. We brought them to the winery and pressed them while they were still cold. We fermented in a mix of neutral barrels and concrete egg-shaped tanks. The mix of fermentation vessels helped create some layers and depth in the final wine. The wine was fermented with native yeast and went fully through ML with native bacteria. After 6 months of aging on lees, we bottled.
Specs
Varietal Blend: 100% Chardonnay
Oak Profile: Four months: 20% concrete egg, 80% neutral French Oak barrels
Alcohol: 12%
Production: 532 cases
What’s Included
4-bottles:
4x 2023 CAST Chardonnay, Ghianda Rose Vineyard, Mendocino Case:
12x 2023 CAST Chardonnay, Ghianda Rose Vineyard, Mendocino
The magic of creativity - We encourage our small, but brave team to think beyond what’s expected, and craft new, experiential wines – we are not bound by tradition.
CAST Wines offers a variety of hand-crafted wines, honoring the infinite potential of varietals, terroir, and winemaking creativity. Explorations in traditional and novel wines promotes connections between the classic and emerging wine enthusiasts, enjoying something deliciously familiar, and surprisingly innovative. Tastings are warmly hosted on our stunning hillside perch, overlooking our organically tended vineyards and the gorgeous Dry Creek Valley beyond.
We believe in: Connections, Creativity, Stewardship
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
So there I was: mid-afternoon, house in disarray, lights flickering like a haunted Victorian novel. An electrician named Evie (who spoke exclusively in gremlin and smelled faintly of toast) was rewiring my breaker panel. The fridge had been off for hours. My wine? Warm. My expectations? Lukewarm.
Then Evie flipped the switch. “IT’S ALIVE” I laughed to myself, since there was nobody else in the room. The fridge grinded back to life like it was auditioning for The Fast and the Fridge-iest. Somewhere between defrosting and re-freezing pizza rolls, it flash-chilled the lone bottle of 2023 Cast Chardonnay sitting on the top shelf.
I cracked it open anyway. Because I’m not a quitter.
First impressions:
The glass fogged up like my ex trying to ghost me. But behind the mist was a color somewhere between golden straw and “fancy hotel robe.” The first sniff brought me straight to a botanical spa built on a citrus farm. Think: peach, lemon, a floral whiff, and baseball stadium peanut shells.
Taste-wise:
This wine is confident. Green apple shows up with a crisp high-five, ripe pear adds a soft hug, and then BAM, citrus cuts in like a backup dancer. The texture is creamy enough to feel luxe, but still bright enough to remind you it’s not trying to be a couch wine. It’s a conversation wine. A “tell me about your hopes and dreams” wine. Do you still remember having hopes and dreams?
The finish?
It hangs around like the last guest at a party who’s too interesting to kick out. But there’s a shiver of something that feels like licking a clean rock; again, in a good way.
Pair it with:
A grilled cheese you accidentally overcooked and now pretend was “intentionally extra crispy”
A big ol’ wedge salad with fancy croutons.
Solo porch sitting while you contemplate putting twinkle lights on everything.
Or if you’re me, just crackers and a weird cheese you bought because it was on sale and had “truffle” in the name.
Final Verdict: Buy or Skip?
Buy. Probably the case. Especially if you have guests coming over who you want to subtly impress without seeming like you’re trying. This wine is smooth, zesty, and somehow manages to be both casual and dressed up—like it’s wearing linen pants but also knows how to salsa dance.
Score: 92.5/100
(Plus one extra point if you drink it cold enough to make your wine glass look like it just came out of a spa sauna.)
In short: It’s got personality. It’s got peach swagger. And thanks to Evie the Electrician, I now know it holds up beautifully under subzero conditions. Cheers.
@tburritt Nothing to do with your review (which I enjoyed), but I’m fascinated by the change of appearance of the glass in the last two pictures. It must be that the proximity of the glass to the camera lens (and perhaps the angle) makes the glass look like it has straight walls.
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations.)
2023 CAST Chardonnay - $65 = 28.88%
I’ve been out of town all week but thankfully the better half was home to receive and taste this one. So pardon the more-succinct-than-normal rattage below.
Initial inspection revealed a full body, with a nice golden color very typical for a Chard.
First whiff revealed the crisp scent of Granny Smith apples and floral noted, like the soft scent of plumerias
Upon tasting, it was not at all buttery - a definite +1 in her book - leading to the assumption this is very lighly oaked. The flavor started very crisp, but turned a little sour on the back of her palate in the finish.
As per usual, a few brief notes on some eccentric food pairings.
Cheez-Its: bueno
Maui Caramacs: bueno
Cheese pizza: no bueno
Chicken fried rice: bueno
Overall, it gets a solid thumbs up. If it’s oaked, they’ve hidden it very well. She’s not usually much of a Chard fan but this is one one she’d drink.
@sdilullo thanks, helpful review. A bit unsure about the not at all buttery part, as it says “ fermented with native yeast and went fully through ML with native bacteria. After 6 months of aging on lees, we bottled.” I would tend to equate that with at least some buttery. Not that I seek it but some CA wines definitely went overboard with it, so maybe this is fine.
Would love winemaker comments but some offers we get participation; some we don’t.
Just a thought on the etymology of “cast” meaning “to throw” and all its derivatives. One “throws” a clay bowl when making ceramics. Perhaps that is the root concept of the other meanings.
Anyone in the Newton (near Boston, Massachusetts) area want 6 or 8 bottles of this? I would take the other 6 or 4. Go ahead and order it if you read this before Midnight, I am good for it, and I don’t have free shipping at the moment.
2023 CAST Chardonnay, Ghianda Rose Vineyard, Mendocino
Tasting Notes
Winemaker Notes
Specs
What’s Included
4-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
$468.00/Case for 12x 2023 CAST Chardonnay, Ghianda Rose Vineyard, Mendocino at CAST Wines
About The Winery
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
2023 CAST Chardonnay
4 bottles for $74.99 $18.75/bottle + $2/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $159.99 $13.33/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
So there I was: mid-afternoon, house in disarray, lights flickering like a haunted Victorian novel. An electrician named Evie (who spoke exclusively in gremlin and smelled faintly of toast) was rewiring my breaker panel. The fridge had been off for hours. My wine? Warm. My expectations? Lukewarm.
Then Evie flipped the switch. “IT’S ALIVE” I laughed to myself, since there was nobody else in the room. The fridge grinded back to life like it was auditioning for The Fast and the Fridge-iest. Somewhere between defrosting and re-freezing pizza rolls, it flash-chilled the lone bottle of 2023 Cast Chardonnay sitting on the top shelf.
I cracked it open anyway. Because I’m not a quitter.
First impressions:
The glass fogged up like my ex trying to ghost me. But behind the mist was a color somewhere between golden straw and “fancy hotel robe.” The first sniff brought me straight to a botanical spa built on a citrus farm. Think: peach, lemon, a floral whiff, and baseball stadium peanut shells.
Taste-wise:
This wine is confident. Green apple shows up with a crisp high-five, ripe pear adds a soft hug, and then BAM, citrus cuts in like a backup dancer. The texture is creamy enough to feel luxe, but still bright enough to remind you it’s not trying to be a couch wine. It’s a conversation wine. A “tell me about your hopes and dreams” wine. Do you still remember having hopes and dreams?
The finish?
It hangs around like the last guest at a party who’s too interesting to kick out. But there’s a shiver of something that feels like licking a clean rock; again, in a good way.
Pair it with:
A grilled cheese you accidentally overcooked and now pretend was “intentionally extra crispy”
A big ol’ wedge salad with fancy croutons.
Solo porch sitting while you contemplate putting twinkle lights on everything.
Or if you’re me, just crackers and a weird cheese you bought because it was on sale and had “truffle” in the name.
Final Verdict: Buy or Skip?
Buy. Probably the case. Especially if you have guests coming over who you want to subtly impress without seeming like you’re trying. This wine is smooth, zesty, and somehow manages to be both casual and dressed up—like it’s wearing linen pants but also knows how to salsa dance.
Score: 92.5/100
(Plus one extra point if you drink it cold enough to make your wine glass look like it just came out of a spa sauna.)
In short: It’s got personality. It’s got peach swagger. And thanks to Evie the Electrician, I now know it holds up beautifully under subzero conditions. Cheers.
@tburritt Nothing to do with your review (which I enjoyed), but I’m fascinated by the change of appearance of the glass in the last two pictures. It must be that the proximity of the glass to the camera lens (and perhaps the angle) makes the glass look like it has straight walls.
@Mark_L @tburritt Fascinating!
@Mark_L @rpstrong @tburritt optical delusion? Or a different glass later in the day?
@Mark_L haha, huh! I didn’t notice that. It’s the same glass at the same time, but I think the top-down shot is with the iPhone’s wide angle lens.
A little winery background here
And a taste with the winemaker here
fwiw
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations.)
2023 CAST Chardonnay - $65 = 28.88%
I’ve been out of town all week but thankfully the better half was home to receive and taste this one. So pardon the more-succinct-than-normal rattage below.
Initial inspection revealed a full body, with a nice golden color very typical for a Chard.
First whiff revealed the crisp scent of Granny Smith apples and floral noted, like the soft scent of plumerias
Upon tasting, it was not at all buttery - a definite +1 in her book - leading to the assumption this is very lighly oaked. The flavor started very crisp, but turned a little sour on the back of her palate in the finish.
As per usual, a few brief notes on some eccentric food pairings.
Overall, it gets a solid thumbs up.
If it’s oaked, they’ve hidden it very well. She’s not usually much of a Chard fan but this is one one she’d drink.
@sdilullo thanks, helpful review. A bit unsure about the not at all buttery part, as it says “ fermented with native yeast and went fully through ML with native bacteria. After 6 months of aging on lees, we bottled.” I would tend to equate that with at least some buttery. Not that I seek it but some CA wines definitely went overboard with it, so maybe this is fine.
Would love winemaker comments but some offers we get participation; some we don’t.
Just a thought on the etymology of “cast” meaning “to throw” and all its derivatives. One “throws” a clay bowl when making ceramics. Perhaps that is the root concept of the other meanings.
Anyone in the Newton (near Boston, Massachusetts) area want 6 or 8 bottles of this? I would take the other 6 or 4. Go ahead and order it if you read this before Midnight, I am good for it, and I don’t have free shipping at the moment.