I love Bien Nacido Vineyard. I have worked with fruit from this OG vineyard since my formative years in the California wine business at Bonny Doon nearly 20 years ago. Planted in 1973, this incredible vineyard on the northern bench of the Santa Maria Valley has long been held in high regard as one of California’s Grand Crus. Wines from Bien Nacido rose to fame with the likes of Jim Clendenen of Au Bon Climat, Adam Tolmach of Ojai, and Bob Lindquist of Qupé consistently producing exceptional, ageworthy wines from the site. Others, such as Manfred Krankl of Sine Qua Non, followed as the vineyard’s reputation grew in stature. Still family-owned by the Miller family after more than 50 vintages, the quality of fruit grown at Bien Nacido is beyond reproach. Cordant produced a stunning wine in 2023 that is a faithful representation of this historic vineyard. The vineyard’s signature wild, sauvage, bramble-like edge to the fruit is immediately apparent. Ripe dark red fruits, warming spices, blackcurrant leaf, truffle, and dried herbs mingle with the brooding dark berry fruit. Classic Bien Nacido in every regard. Delicious now with a nice 30- to 40-minute decant to allow the structure to relax, or enjoy it over the next decade as more complexity builds around the primary core of fruit.