100% Chardonnay

Food pairings: Oysters and other shellfish, moules frites, sushi, sautéed white fish, roast poultry, creamy dishes such as vegetable risotto, pâté, and fresh goat cheese.

Winemaking: The grapes were hand harvested at night to take advantage of the cold Santa Barbara County evenings, in small picks across a broad spectrum of ripeness for maximum complexity. After whole-cluster pressing, the juice was cold settled for 24 to 48 hours in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, then racked to French oak Burgundy barrels (15% new, the rest one to four years old) for fermentation and nine to twelve months of aging on the lees. Malolactic fermentation was halted in 20% of the wine to keep a touch of salty, malic freshness and ageability. Before bottling, the wine was racked under nitrogen to tank for final blending and resting, and it was bottled at the winery.

Vineyards and terroir: Qupé has crafted cool-climate Chardonnay from Santa Barbara County, on California's Central Coast, for more than 40 years, working with long-term vineyard partners who farm specific, certified-sustainable sites for low yields and clean fruit. 60% of the 2024 comes from vines over 30 years old on the sandy slopes of the Santa Maria Valley, which give pineapple and orange marmalade richness. The remaining 40% grows on sandy hills in the western reaches of the Sta. Rita Hills, where tiny, concentrated berries bring the salty, citrusy side of Chardonnay, with lemon and lime skin and mineral notes.

Family and history: Qupé, pronounced "kyoo-pay," takes its name from the Chumash word for the California poppy, the flower on its label. Bob Lindquist founded the winery in 1982 along Foxen Canyon Road in Santa Barbara County, while still working at nearby Zaca Mesa, and became a pioneer of cool-climate Syrah, other Rhône varieties and elegant Chardonnay. The brand later passed to outside owners, and Vintage Wine Estates bought it in 2018. In October 2024 Andrew Murray, whose Andrew Murray Vineyards was founded in 1990 right next door on Foxen Canyon Road, acquired Qupé and its library wines, bringing the brand home to where it began with a focus on sustainability, quality and value. Bob Lindquist now makes wine under his own Lindquist Family Wines label.

In the pictures: Owner and winemaker Andrew Murray in the vineyard and the winery's cellar (photos courtesy of Andrew Murray Vineyards); vineyards in the Sta. Rita Hills, Santa Barbara County (photo: Bradfordschultze, public domain).