Edmeades Anderson Valley Chardonnay 1995
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2000-
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Edmeades is pure Mendocino, famous for its limited bottlings from the Mendocino Ridge and the Redwood and Ukiah valleys of Northern California. It is the authentic taste of one of California’s final viticultural frontiers — the Anderson Valley. It all started in 1963 when Dr. Donald Edmeades, a cardiologist from Pasadena, planted 24 acres of vines, becoming the first modern-day grape grower in this cool, coastal region. He founded his winery and launched the Edmeades brand in 1972. The Jackson family purchased the winery and its vineyards in 1988.
Their approach is traditional and natural; their methods are decidedly low tech. They believe in native yeast fermentations in small, open-top bins, hand punch downs, minimal manipulation and no fining or filtration at bottling. The simplicity of their methods allows the soils and climates of each site to be clearly heard in the wines and enjoy full expression in every vintage.
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.
Reaching up California's coastline and into its valleys north of San Francisco, the North Coast AVA includes six counties: Marin, Solano, Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino and Lake. While Napa and Sonoma enjoy most of the glory, the rest produce no shortage of quality wines in an intriguing and diverse range of styles.
Climbing up the state's rugged coastline, the chilly Marin County, just above the City and most of Sonoma County, as well as Mendocino County on the far north end of the North Coast successfully grow cool-climate varieties like Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and in some spots, Riesling. Inland Lake County, on the other hand, is considerably warmer, and Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel and Sauvignon Blanc produce some impressive wines with affordable price tags.