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Baxter Mendocino Chardonnay Oppenlander Vineyard 2022

$3999

Chablis in spirit, grown less than ten miles from the Pacific: the Oppenlander vineyard sits near Comptche in a cold, remote pocket of Mendocino, and Baxter picks it late to get flavor without weight. The fruit is hand-harvested and whole-cluster pressed, fermented slowly on native yeasts, then aged about twelve months on its lees in neutral French oak — texture from the barrel, no oak flavor. Phil Baxter trained at UC Davis and in Burgundy across thirty-three vineyard sites, and works essentially alone in a converted barn, which is roughly the scale you would expect for a Chardonnay this specific. The wine was held at the winery before release, so its early nervous energy has already settled into focus, and it will keep developing for years.

Shipping

Every step of the journey is managed to uphold the integrity of each bottle.

  • Nationwide Access: Flat-rate shipping available to most U.S. states with delivery in 3-5 business days.
  • Temperature-Monitored Shipping: We closely monitor weather conditions and make informed decisions to ensure shipments travel safely, with insulated packaging and refrigerated transport available when required.
  • Wine-Specific Protective Packaging: Specialized materials designed to maintain label integrity and prevent breakage during transit.
  • Provenance Assured: All wines are maintained in climate-controlled conditions at our shop until the moment of dispatch.

Returns & Exchanges

We stand behind every bottle we sell.

  • If the wine is less than 10 years old and it is corked, you may return it to us for a full refund or exchange within 60 days of purchase. You must show us proof of purchase. We understand that you may not live near a shop and that it is difficult to ship open bottles of wine to us, so if there's any problem feel free to Contact Us and we'll work it out.
  • For wines older than 10 years, the consumer bears the risk of a faulty cork, but we accept returns of older bottles if the wine is faulty as a result of improper storage. Please come by the store or Contact Us if there is a problem.
  • We may, at our discretion and to the extent permitted by law, accept returns of unopened wines within 30 days of purchase if they were properly stored by the purchaser, subject to a 15% re-stocking fee.

View our complete return policy →

Have Questions?

Our team is here to help.

Hours

Monday - Friday: 11am - 8pm

Saturday: 12pm - 5pm

CLOSED SUNDAYS

Email: help@flatiron-wines.com
Phone: (415) 780-1405


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More about Baxter

Baxter Winery has been producing some of California's most aromatic and ethereal Pinot Noirs for almost 15 years, yet somehow they still remain fairly under the radar. Phillip Baxter Jr. works with some of Mendocinos’s, and in particular Anderson Valley's, best cool climate sites. The resulting wines are among the most deftly balanced and elegant this region, or really any California region is producing today.

It’s actually quite baffling to me that they have not received the same level of media attention as some of their very talented contemporaries such as Arnot-Roberts or Steve Matthiasson. Like those wines they are a repudiation of the big and boldly rich wines that California became famous/infamous for, without sacrificing concentration and complexity. They are light and delicate yet intricately structured and layered.

As we all know great wine starts in the vineyard, but it's Phil’s time working in Burgundy that allows him to harness the full potential of these sites. He headed there after graduating from UC Davis and contributed to the production of wines from 33 different vineyards from village to Grand Cru. It certainly didn't hurt that he came with some generational knowledge already intact as his father was an accomplished winemaker himself.

A tiny operation, Phil does almost everything himself in the cellar. A five day cold soak, slow wild yeast fermentation, punchdowns done by hand, he uses a gentle basket press and an extra long aging regime with minimal intervention. All of the wines are aged in 100% neutral French oak barrels to ensure the vineyard and fruit is the focus, not the oak. The grapes are always hand-harvested and often fermented partial whole-cluster.

Wine Details

  • Grape Variety

    Chardonnay

  • Vintage

    2022

  • Size

    750ml

  • Farming Practice

    Sustainable

  • Style

    Fruity

  • Sweetness

    Dry

  • Body

    Full Bodied

Flatiron's Take

From the Importer

Tasting Notes & Food Pairings

Perfect Pairings

Oysters on the half shell, Dungeness crab, halibut with lemon and brown butter, or a wedge of Comté.

Tasting Profile

Green apple, lemon zest and white flowers over a flinty mineral core. Medium-bodied and dry, with lively acidity and a long, saline finish. No oak flavor — the neutral barrels add texture only.

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