Samuel Louis Smith's eponymous winery is based in Salinas, California. Organic viticulture, mountainous sites, and minimal intervention in the cellar are tenets of the brand and a requirement when sourcing his grapes. Sam's wines offer a wonderful snapshot of the Central Coast, where he focuses on Sta. Rita Hills Chardonnay, Monterey Pinot Noir, and Santa Cruz Mountains cool-climate Syrah. They are made in a neoclassical style where light handling, wild fermentations, and stem inclusion in the reds create wines of place and purity, aroma and structure. Sam's vision for the future is program based on estate-grown fruit though for now, he remains dedicated to procuring fruit from the most distinctive sustainably and organically farmed vineyards in the Central Coast.

Samuel Louis Smith's Sta. Rita Hills Chardonnay is sourced from Spear Vineyard, a young, high-altitude site in the heart of the appellation. This Chardonnay sits in the glass a pale gold color. One swirl is all that is needed for the aromas to jump out of the glass. The wine has an inviting bouquet of white orchard fruit, citrus tree blossom and sea spray. After one sip, you are hooked... drawn in with flavors of Asian pear and Meyer lemon that mingle with enticing savory spice notes. This gorgeous white has a medium body, heightened by a bright acidity that leads to a finish tinged with whispers of vanilla and toasted coconut. Pair with salt-baked salmon and spring vegetables or roasted chicken.