2019 Flying Goat Cellars Ynot Chardonnay Santa Barbara County 750 ml

Winemaker Norman Yost has 45+ vintages under his belt. Some in the Russian River Valley, some in Willamette Valley, and some around the Central Coast. Put simply, the man knows cool-climate vineyards. 

So he knew exactly what kind of graceful balance the Sierra Madre Vineyard would give his 2019 YNOT Chardonnay. 

One of Santa Barbara County’s standout sites, Sierra Madre’s distinct microclimate has attracted big names like Ken Brown, Paul Lato, Au Bon Climat, and Byron. The unusual east-west orientation of Santa Maria Valley, the fog, and the breezes off the Pacific make Sierra Madre a near-perfect site for Chardonnay. Even 15 miles inland, daytime highs hit the mid-70s, while nights dip into the 50s, letting grapes reach optimal maturity while preserving brisk acidity. 

From that terroir, Yost crafted a phenomenally concentrated 2019 YNOT, with peach, orange peel, lemon, and pear aromas leading to a palate layered with floral notes and subtle minerality. After five years in the cellar, the lingering freshness of its youth has developed the polish and depth that time a few years in the cellar can deliver.

Yost started Flying Goat in 2000 and has introduced multiple new labels since then, including Goat Bubbles and YNOT. He’s renowned for his single-vineyard Pinot Noirs and méthode Champenoise wines, but his command of Chardonnay extends far beyond the bubbles.  

When the veteran winemaker was an undergrad playing offensive line at UC Davis, he says it was a blind tasting of Chardonnay that made him put down his beer and chase a career in wine. And today, his 2019 YNOT makes one thing clear: 

He hasn’t lost an ounce of love for the grape.