“Fermata” means halted in Italian and this wine is so named because we halt the secondary fermentation at its halfway point. This gives the wine richness but also preserves its acidity and energy.
The Chardonnay from our estate vineyard is consistently rich and luxurious. It owes its heightened concentration to our climate, complex soils, and demanding farming practices. By halting the malolactic fermentation at 50%, our Fermata Chardonnay counterbalances this wine’s inherent richness with its own natural acidity. Our 2020 features powerful aromatics and flavors ranging from lemon and pineapple to toast and vanilla crème brûlée. The palate delivers viscosity, structure and a lingering finish. Certified Sustainable (SIP)
Vineyard Notes
Our Estate San Saba Vineyard is sheltered in a nook just below the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, roughly 25 miles southeast of the town of Monterey. Our climate is heavily influenced by the morning fog and afternoon winds from the nearby Pacific Ocean. This is a cool site with little rainfall and one of the longest-growing seasons in the world. Our unusual climate allows us to produce ripe, concentrated wines of exceptional balance.
The wrath of Juno sent Aeneas wandering the Mediterranean in Vergil’s Aeneid. For the ancient Romans, ira or wrath, was a tool of a god, an unstoppable anger driven by forces greater than man. One can argue that we see such fury in both the might of nature and the passion of art. Wrath appears in the edgy power of Robert Plant’s voice and the raw wail of Eric Clapton’s guitar. It is frozen into Jackson Pollock’s violent splatters of paint. Wrath is in the wall of maritime fog that rolls into the Salinas Valley and the relentless afternoon winds that scream through our grape trellises. Wrath wines represent a nexus of nature and an unbridled passion for winemaking.
Wrath produces site-driven Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Syrah, and Sauvignon Blanc from our estate vineyard and respected properties in the Santa Lucia Highlands. Our production is small, our distribution is limited and our wines reveal attitude, passion, and an inherent respect for what a vineyard can give us.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, KS, LA, ME, MA, MI, MN, MO, NV, NH, NM, NY, NC, OH, OR, SC, TN, TX, VA, WA, WY
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations).
2020 Wrath Fermata Chardonnay - $35 = 21.20%
Enthusiast:
89 points. Coconut, honeydew, white flower and lime-spray aromas make for a vibrant nose on this bottling. There’s steely tension to the sip, where honeysuckle and ripe peach flavors sit atop a soft texture. — Matt Kettmann 3/1/23
reverse wine snob offered this as part of a sampler pack in December:
The 2020 Wrath Fermata Chardonnay opens with pleasing aromas of rich fruit, pear, apricot, crème brulee, and some buttery notes.
The wine tastes rich and smooth with similar flavors to the nose, but the fruit is more tart and tends to the tropical side of things in the mouth. It also has a nice spicy streak. There’s more butter and crème brulee too along with some butterscotch notes. It’s very tasty!
It ends dry and long with tart acidity and a bit of toasty oak under the continuing butterscotch notes. Delicious.
@TimW I’ve had both of those and got a Rat bottle for this one, so I should be able to answer later. The bottle just arrived and is now in the fridge, so it’ll be a little while. I thought the Casa was good and the Iron Horse just okay. Neither were favorites in my house.
We did not get this wine until this afternoon. Thank goodness we were able to nab it on the first try! Missed having it with lunch, but I pour some for us to try as we go about our business. We’ll be more scientific after having it with dinner.
Background: Neither my wife nor I are big Chardonnay fans. Especially on its own. We’ve liked some Sonoma Chards, Burgundies with food, and Oregon Chards really haven’t clicked with us. We think of it as a food wine. Last year I decided to basically not buy any Chard until I had used up all we had, and then only if a special deal.
And . . . we really like this. We’ve only tried without food at this point. My wife noted the floral, and could taste “the Chardonnay”, but like it much more than some that were more expensive and vaunted. Me too. Hmmm. Monterey. And they halted the malolactic fermentation halfway, which I would have no idea what that would do. They sure did something right here, that’s for sure. It seems creamier, though not too oaky. some oak, certainly. Nothing out of balance.
Another glass here, a little warmer but still below room temperature. It’s got a little of that something (minerality?) strong from those Center of Effort Chards, which we liked, though not as much. It sure goes with left-over wedding cake, I can tell you that. Not much nose.
Okay, I have to get to work. We’re recovering from our second daughter’s wedding. We’ll report more after dinner. But I’m already thinking, maybe this is the Chardonnay to re-stock up on. Mmmm, great finish, really. I can see why my wife says, definitely Chardonnay. That not usually a compliment from us. This is really solid. More tonight.
@wardad This wine was okay with pork taco salad, but not particular great. It’s a solid, flavorful wine, good on its own, so would go (at least) okay with almost anything. My non-Chardy wife opted for the (very very good) rose left over from the wedding. So, she has still never opted for a Chardonnay when something else was available. My casemating neighbors loved this, and are probably getting a case. I told them I could take a few bottles if they needed help. I’m not ordering my own. I have more non-red in stock than I ever have.
If you like new-world Chardonnay (with oak, but not overly so), this is good. I think it would please a lot of folks.
I’m really glad @wardad got his posted before I did because it’s a good reminder that “there’s no accounting for taste.”
Our bottle also just arrived and I’ve got plans tonight so we had to chill it quickly and the wife and I both gave it a taste.
We also are not big (new world) Chard fans. I bought the Casa and Iron Horse offerings previously based on marketing (and hopes) that they would be more crisp and light than the normal US Chard. They weren’t bad, but because I didn’t love them, I, too, have sworn off buying more Chard for the foreseeable future.
Lovely bottle and the healthy-looking cork was easily removed.
Color is as you’d expect and not much to report on the nose. Nose is “white wine grape,” and not much more specific than that.
Tastes like new world (California) Chardonnay. Butter, oak - all the things you’d expect. We found the aftertaste to be slow building and not particularly pleasant. This is not to either of our tastes, which is why I’m glad to see a positive review above.
@pupator Thanks for the review. Would be curious to hear what your favorite chards are, old or new world. Also wondering what you didn’t like about the IH chard, which doesn’t come off as oaky (obvious reasons) or buttery IMO.
@hscottk Agree that those had none of the typical chard flavors that define this bottle. I just didn’t find them terribly interesting. I’m looking for the minerality and crispness you can sometimes find in old world chards - admittedly, more of a Sancerre/Sav Blanc trait, but I’ve had chards that tended in that direction. I much prefer those over the more standard profile of this bottle.
2020 Wrath Fermata Chardonnay, Monterey
Tasting Notes
Vineyard Notes
Specs
What’s Included
4-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
$420.00/Case for 12x 2020 Wrath Fermata Chardonnay, Monterey at Wrath Wines
About The Wineries
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, KS, LA, ME, MA, MI, MN, MO, NV, NH, NM, NY, NC, OH, OR, SC, TN, TX, VA, WA, WY
Estimated Delivery
Monday, Jan 29 - Tuesday, Jan 30
2020 Wrath Fermata Chardonnay
4 bottles for $54.99 $13.75/bottle + $2/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $129.99 $10.83/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations).
2020 Wrath Fermata Chardonnay - $35 = 21.20%
Monday Monday, so good to me…
Enthusiast:
89 points. Coconut, honeydew, white flower and lime-spray aromas make for a vibrant nose on this bottling. There’s steely tension to the sip, where honeysuckle and ripe peach flavors sit atop a soft texture. — Matt Kettmann 3/1/23
reverse wine snob offered this as part of a sampler pack in December:
The 2020 Wrath Fermata Chardonnay opens with pleasing aromas of rich fruit, pear, apricot, crème brulee, and some buttery notes.
The wine tastes rich and smooth with similar flavors to the nose, but the fruit is more tart and tends to the tropical side of things in the mouth. It also has a nice spicy streak. There’s more butter and crème brulee too along with some butterscotch notes. It’s very tasty!
It ends dry and long with tart acidity and a bit of toasty oak under the continuing butterscotch notes. Delicious.
fwiw
Sounds interesting. Wondering how it compares to Iron Horse unoaked chard or Casa chard.
@TimW I’ve had both of those and got a Rat bottle for this one, so I should be able to answer later. The bottle just arrived and is now in the fridge, so it’ll be a little while. I thought the Casa was good and the Iron Horse just okay. Neither were favorites in my house.
@pupator perfect!
We did not get this wine until this afternoon. Thank goodness we were able to nab it on the first try! Missed having it with lunch, but I pour some for us to try as we go about our business. We’ll be more scientific after having it with dinner.
Background: Neither my wife nor I are big Chardonnay fans. Especially on its own. We’ve liked some Sonoma Chards, Burgundies with food, and Oregon Chards really haven’t clicked with us. We think of it as a food wine. Last year I decided to basically not buy any Chard until I had used up all we had, and then only if a special deal.
And . . . we really like this. We’ve only tried without food at this point. My wife noted the floral, and could taste “the Chardonnay”, but like it much more than some that were more expensive and vaunted. Me too. Hmmm. Monterey. And they halted the malolactic fermentation halfway, which I would have no idea what that would do. They sure did something right here, that’s for sure. It seems creamier, though not too oaky. some oak, certainly. Nothing out of balance.
Another glass here, a little warmer but still below room temperature. It’s got a little of that something (minerality?) strong from those Center of Effort Chards, which we liked, though not as much. It sure goes with left-over wedding cake, I can tell you that. Not much nose.
Okay, I have to get to work. We’re recovering from our second daughter’s wedding. We’ll report more after dinner. But I’m already thinking, maybe this is the Chardonnay to re-stock up on. Mmmm, great finish, really. I can see why my wife says, definitely Chardonnay. That not usually a compliment from us. This is really solid. More tonight.
@wardad This wine was okay with pork taco salad, but not particular great. It’s a solid, flavorful wine, good on its own, so would go (at least) okay with almost anything. My non-Chardy wife opted for the (very very good) rose left over from the wedding. So, she has still never opted for a Chardonnay when something else was available. My casemating neighbors loved this, and are probably getting a case. I told them I could take a few bottles if they needed help. I’m not ordering my own. I have more non-red in stock than I ever have.
If you like new-world Chardonnay (with oak, but not overly so), this is good. I think it would please a lot of folks.
@wardad what rose did you have at the wedding?
I’m really glad @wardad got his posted before I did because it’s a good reminder that “there’s no accounting for taste.”
Our bottle also just arrived and I’ve got plans tonight so we had to chill it quickly and the wife and I both gave it a taste.
We also are not big (new world) Chard fans. I bought the Casa and Iron Horse offerings previously based on marketing (and hopes) that they would be more crisp and light than the normal US Chard. They weren’t bad, but because I didn’t love them, I, too, have sworn off buying more Chard for the foreseeable future.
Lovely bottle and the healthy-looking cork was easily removed.
Color is as you’d expect and not much to report on the nose. Nose is “white wine grape,” and not much more specific than that.
Tastes like new world (California) Chardonnay. Butter, oak - all the things you’d expect. We found the aftertaste to be slow building and not particularly pleasant. This is not to either of our tastes, which is why I’m glad to see a positive review above.
@pupator Thanks for the review. Would be curious to hear what your favorite chards are, old or new world. Also wondering what you didn’t like about the IH chard, which doesn’t come off as oaky (obvious reasons) or buttery IMO.
@hscottk Agree that those had none of the typical chard flavors that define this bottle. I just didn’t find them terribly interesting. I’m looking for the minerality and crispness you can sometimes find in old world chards - admittedly, more of a Sancerre/Sav Blanc trait, but I’ve had chards that tended in that direction. I much prefer those over the more standard profile of this bottle.