Freddy R. Troya

9.0

Courtney Bentham Unoaked Chardonnay 2023
Santa Barbara, Central Coast, California 🇺🇸

Overview
100% Chardonnay, aged entirely in stainless steel for 6 months. This unoaked style highlights the pure, crisp side of California Chardonnay—clean, sharp, and fruit-forward—offering a modern contrast to the richer, oak-driven styles the state is often known for.

Aromas & Flavors
Fresh notes of green apple, lemon zest, and pear dominate, with subtle hints of peach blossom and saline minerality. No oak influence means the fruit character shines through brightly.

Mouthfeel
Light to medium-bodied, crisp, and refreshing with vibrant acidity. The finish is dry, clean, and mouthwatering, leaving a lingering citrus snap.

Winemaking Notes
Stainless steel fermentation and aging (100%, 6 months) preserve the purity of fruit and emphasize freshness over creaminess.

Food Pairing
Pairs beautifully with oysters, sushi, fresh goat cheese, or citrus-marinated grilled chicken. Ideal as an aperitif on a warm day.

Verdict
A quintessential example of unoaked California Chardonnay—bright, precise, and zesty. For those who prefer freshness and minerality over richness, this is a pure, elegant sipper that captures Santa Barbara’s coastal vibrancy. — 2 months ago

Julia Bourne

9.2

14.4% Gift from Richard. — 2 years ago

Christian Fischer

9.2

And I thought yesterday was a bad day at work ... so let’s go with another nice bottle :). This will take a few years to mature but great depth and enjoyable to drink — 5 years ago

Alvaro Bustillos

9.8

Jay rubenstein y amigos courtney — 2 months ago

Scot Walker

9.1

Dark fruit in the nose with blackberries, currants and plums in the palate. The flavors was enhanced with a beef stick, white cheddar cheese, but not cheese curls. — a year ago

Daniel Ciolek

8.9

Well balanced smooth Pinot without the funk that turns me off in a lot of Pinots. I’d drink again. — 5 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Yeah...this is really delicious.

If you like Paper Planes style, this is a similar style but, fuller, richer with more pronounced saline & minerality.

The nose reveals, floral, ripe, slightly candied fruits of; steamed strawberries, summer, lean jolly rancher watermelon, cherries, tangerine, blood orange, black cherries, black raspberries, slightly, baked rhubarb, steamed, white spice, cream soda, vanillin, hints of ginger with pink rose pedals with in a field of spring flowers.

The palate has nice richness, ripeness with excellent viscosity. The fruits are, candied, gummy, ripe and freshness. Steamed strawberries, summer, lean jolly rancher watermelon, cherries, tangerine, pomegranate, blood orange, black cherries, black raspberries, slightly, baked rhubarb, orange rind, pink grapefruit with pith, white spice with just the right amount of heat, lava volcanics, excellent, choppy chalkiness, cream soda, vanillin, hints of ginger with pink rose pedals with in a field of spring flowers. The acidity is like shooting fresh mountain river rapids. The really long finish is; well knitted, harmony fruit & earth with polish, elegance that is persist for several minutes.

Appreciate the 11.8 ABV.

@Dawn E. highly recommend their 18 for you. 👍

Photos of, their Frei Vineyard, two photos of Winemaker Matt Courtney and barrel room shots. — 5 years ago

Dimes

8.9

Pair well with big fireplace and big lake — 10 months ago

Garth Bardsley

9.3

Gift from Maryann. 2109 vintage. Lovely well rounded flavor. — 2 years ago

Shay A

9.3

I’ve opened a few Ferren Frei Rd chards (normally in the 4-5yr range) and have enjoyed them, but this was my first Lancel Creek. With the release coming up in a few weeks, I wanted to check in and figure out the profile. I’m between a 93-94 here.

Made by Matt Courtney (formerly at Marcassin, also winemaker at Arista). Beautiful straw colored in the glass with maybe a tinge of green, the aromatics are honeysuckle, sweet lemon, and sea salted almonds. I found this to be very similar to the Frei Rd in regards to acidity. So nervy all the way through. Totally coastal, but with a soft touch of rich fruit. Also similar to the Frei Rd, this is lemon everything (fresh squeezed lemon, lemon cream, lemon scone) but the mineral profile is more enhanced here. There’s a stone/slate vibe toward the finish that keeps this light on its feet. Oak is soft and plays a contributing role, not a dominating one.

I enjoyed this at pop and pour, then revisited 2-3hrs later and found the acidity had calmed down a bit. Definitely give this a decant now if possible, or hold a few more years. — 3 years ago