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If you want a masterclass in California Chardonnay, look no further than winemaker Steve Matthiasson. In Napa Valley, winemakers who also farm their own vineyards and are on the ground monitoring controls like water and soil management are a rare breed. But that all goes back to the heart of the Matthiasson brand ethos that good wine starts in the vineyard.
The wines, like this Linda Vista Vineyard Chardonnay, stand in contrast to the bottles of big, oaky Napa Valley Chardonnay that have proliferated in the region in the last few decades, and we believe that’s a good thing.
It’s hard to know where to start when describing Steve Matthiasson’s background in agriculture and wine. Do we start with his studying agriculture development at UC Davis or that time he made his first wine in his garage shortly after he and Jill, his now wife, started dating?
Maybe we should start with Steve’s knack for teaching others about how sustainable vineyard practices can yield just as much high-quality fruit as conventional practices because, as Steve makes clear in the Matthiasson wine brand messaging, he considers himself a farmer first and a winemaker second.
After diligently examining how his horticulture knowledge would translate to California’s vineyards, Steve started a vineyard consulting firm in 2002. His first major accomplishment with this new venture? The Lodi Rules, the first sustainable winegrowing program in the United States.
Lodi Rules was well received within the California wine community, and word quickly spread that if you wanted to begin integrating organic methods like no synthetic pesticides or chemicals on the vines, using cover crops to retain soil nutrients, and engaging in low or no-till practices to keep carbon in the soil, you contacted Steve. And it wasn’t long before some of the biggest names in Napa, think Warren Winiarski of Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, Spottswoode, and Saintsbury, started reaching out for advice.
Napa Valley-based Matthiasson Wines was created by Steve and Jill Matthiasson in 2003. Steve’s signature wine style is emblematic of the “New California” wine movement that prioritizes low-intervention wines that are created by picking grapes early to preserve freshness without sacrificing ripeness.
A fun fact about the Matthiassons: Steve isn’t the only horticulturist in the family. In fact, it was Jill who hired Steve as an intern when she received a grant to study almond farming in California while at UC Davis! That’s also how the pair met.
Working with Unique Varieties
While bottles like Steve’s famous Napa Valley White Wine and his restrained Napa Valley Cabernet are what immediately come to mind for many wine lovers when they think of the Matthiasson portfolio, they may not know that Steve is also an advocate for Italian varieties from Friuli like Ribolla Gialla, Schioppettino, and Refosco.
If you love Steve Matthiasson’s wines and are looking for an excuse to join the wine club, the Matthiasson Ribolla, Schioppettino, and Refosco are only available to wine club members.
Linda Vista Vineyard was planted by Beringer in Napa’s West Oak Knoll District in 1987, but the region has been producing exquisite California Chardonnays since the 1960s. Steve and Jill began leasing the vineyard in 2011 and since then have transitioned the land to the organic grape growing practices that the couple is known for.
Winemakers like Steve Matthiasson, who strive for lower alcohol wines with nuanced palates and elegance, use methods like picking fruit throughout the ripening period rather than bulk picking the grapes once they reach a certain brix. This allows the winemaker to integrate acid and rich ripeness together seamlessly in the barrel. The wine is aged in neutral oak, fermented with natural yeast, and about two-fifths of the barrels go through malo-lactic fermentation to bring a hint of creaminess.
USA
Napa Valley
Chardonnay
12.5%
Steve Matthiasson
49–55°F / 9–12°C
Chardonnay
Not Needed
Now
Matthiasson Vineyard
The 2021 Matthiasson Chardonnay is a pale lemon color in the glass, and offers aromas of ripe peach, zesty lemon, chalk, and golden apple. On the palate, those aromas present themselves again for a combination of textures and tastes that create the most beautiful interplay of Burgundian minerality with Napa Valley richness. The acidity moves the palate along, but there’s a nice creamy quality that lingers. The wine’s finish is long and invites sipping, which makes this a very pleasurable wine-tasting experience.
A great Chardonnay from a great producer. With a palate that strikes the perfect balance between crisp minerality and creamy, lusciousness, the 2021 Matthiasson Chardonnay, Linda Vista Vineyard is a white wine that will make everyone happy. While you could open this bottle with friends, this Chard is so good, we think you might want to keep this one to yourself.
