Recommended by the New York Times, Wine Spectator, Food & Wine, and Many More. Check out our recent press.

Award-winning SF wine shop – free local delivery & fast nationwide shipping. Learn more
1 2

I Brand and Family Santa Lucia Highlands Chardonnay Escolle Vineyard 2023

$3499

Escolle sits at the cool northern end of the Santa Lucia Highlands, on a bench that a French immigrant named Honore Escolle bought as a summer property back in 1878. Ian Brand's Chardonnay from it is a study in restraint: whole-cluster pressed, barrel fermented with a minority of new French oak, ten months on the lees, then finished in stainless steel to sharpen the edges back up. That last step is the trick. It gives the wine the texture of a barrel-aged Chardonnay without the varnish. Crystalline and saline, driven by the site rather than the cellar. Brand made his name on unfashionable Central Coast vineyards; this is what he does with a great one.

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


Add your content here

Antonio Galloni

92 points

"The 2023 Chardonnay Escolle Vineyard is a particularly focused, driven wine off this site. White flowers, crushed chalk, gun flint and lemon oil pierce the tongue. Aged for 11 months in 35% French oak puncheon followed by six months in stainless, the 2023 feels electric on the palate, accented by a deep minerality here that adds tons of complexity. Attractive stuff." —Billy Norris

Decanter

94 points

"A brilliant Chardonnay, a touch of reduction blows off, and it's a dazzler. Winemaker Ian Brand hyperoxidized the juice in the pan, coming from the well-farmed Escolle Vineyard in the northern reaches of the appellation, farmed by Scott Cariccoli. This wine offers a gleaming balance, lemon curd, juicy fruits, and soaring papaya juiciness. Saline and crushed stone, with a chalky finish." —Clive Pursehouse

Wine Enthusiast

92 points

"Toasty aromas of almond flake and browned butter invite the nose into this single-vineyard expression. The palate offers hazelnut and baked lemon flavors that wll surely integrate even more with some patience. Drink now-2033."

More about I Brand and Family

Wine Details

  • Grape Variety

    Chardonnay

  • Vintage

    2023

  • Size

    750ml

  • Farming Practice

    Organic

  • Style

    Fruity

  • Sweetness

    Dry

  • Body

    Medium Bodied

Flatiron's Take

From the Importer

Tasting Notes & Food Pairings

Perfect Pairings

Roast chicken, seared scallops, or crab with drawn butter.

Tasting Profile

Dry white with a saline, mineral streak. Citrus and orchard fruit, a subtle creamy texture from lees aging, gentle oak, crisp finish.