Lewis Cellars Sonoma Valley Chardonnay 2008
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Connoisseurs'
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Connoisseurs' Guide
The slight haziness to this wine's appearance is part and parcel of the movement to leave more of the wine in the wine, and as has happened here, the results can be spectacular. Aromas of apples and crisp stone fruits are joined by suggestions of a pulpy, juicy character with oaky richness and roasted grain complexities for added bits of interest. Fairly full in body and kept on the light and agile side by bright acidity, this wine boasts uncommon depth, range and length to its nuanced flavors and still tight finish. Great now, it will better yet in a few years.
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Wine Spectator
Smooth and rich, with creamy fig, melon, apple and spice flavors that are full-bodied and layered, ending with a mix of anise and toasty, buttery oak. Drink now through 2015. 1,000 cases made.
Other Vintages
2000-
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Wine
Spectator
One of the most popular and versatile white wine grapes, Chardonnay offers a wide range of flavors and styles depending on where it is grown and how it is made. While it tends to flourish in most environments, Chardonnay from its Burgundian homeland produces some of the most remarkable and longest lived examples. California produces both oaky, buttery styles and leaner, European-inspired wines. Somm Secret—The Burgundian subregion of Chablis, while typically using older oak barrels, produces a bright style similar to the unoaked style. Anyone who doesn't like oaky Chardonnay would likely enjoy Chablis.
Home to a diverse array of smaller AVAs with varied microclimates and soil types, Sonoma County has something for every wine lover. Physically twice as large as Napa Valley, the region only produces about half the amount of wine but boasts both tremendous quality and variety. With its laid-back atmosphere and down-to-earth attitude, the wineries of Sonoma are appreciated by wine tourists for their friendliness and approachability. The entire county intends to become a 100% sustainable winegrowing region by 2019.
Sonoma County wines are produced with carefully selected grape varieties to reflect the best attributes of their sites—Dry Creek Valley’s consistent sunshine is ideal for Zinfandel, while the warm Alexander Valley is responsible for rich, voluptuous red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are important throughout the county, most notably in the cooler AVAs of Russian River, Sonoma Coast and Carneros. Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot and Syrah have also found a firm footing here.