Winemaker Notes
The cool and foggy Carneros region is known for producing grapes with a natural balance of acidity and ripeness. The wine’s bouquet is complex with citrus, tropical fruit, and warm spice. On the palate are delightful notes of apple, hazelnut, honeysuckle, and quince with hints of brioche, vanilla, and bright fruit with a long finish.
Professional Ratings
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Wine & Spirits
Longtime Broncos quarterback John Elway founded this project with his business partner, Jeff Sperbeck, bringing in Robert Mondavi, Jr., as winemaker. The fruit for this chardonnay comes from the Hi Vista Vineyard in Carneros, fermented and aged in American oak barrels (33 percent new). It’s a rich, smooth white with significant oak influence, while subtle anise and lemon scents keep it tight and focused.
Best Buy
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.
Known for elegant wines that combine power and finesse, Carneros is set in the rolling hills that straddle the southernmost parts of both Sonoma and Napa counties. The cooling winds from the abutting San Pablo Bay, combined with lots of midday California sunshine, create an ideal environment for producing wines with a perfect balance of crisp acidity and well-ripened fruit.
This cooler pocket of California lends itself to growing Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah. Carneros is an important source of sparkling wines made in the style of Champagne as well.