Stickybeak Chardonnay 2014
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Ever been curious enough to stick your nose over someone’s fence to see what’s going on? Or peer through a crack in their front gate, just to get a better look? Stickybeak has! Some people might say they're busybodies or nosey neighbors although they prefer the Australian term ‘stickybeak.’ And being Napa-based wine industry folk, it’s hard to not be curious about the stunning vineyards and regions that surround them. In fact, as inquisitive vintners, it seemed only natural that they'd have a bit of a stickybeak in their own backyard to see what they could find.
After setting up shop in Napa some 15 years ago and importing benchmark Australian wine estates, natural curiosity led them all over the state of California to taste, sip, spit and drink the best the state has to offer, all the while wondering how they could make their mark in the country they now call home.
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.
A standout region for its decidedly Californian take on Burgundian varieties, the Russian River Valley is named for the eponymous river that flows through it. While there are warm pockets of the AVA, it is mostly a cool-climate growing region thanks to breezes and fog from the nearby Pacific Ocean.
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir reign supreme in Russian River, with the best examples demonstrating a unique combination of richness and restraint. The cool weather makes Russian River an ideal AVA for sparkling wine production, utilizing the aforementioned varieties. Zinfandel also performs exceptionally well here. Within the Russian River Valley lie the smaller appellations of Chalk Hill and Green Valley. The former, farther from the ocean, is relatively warm, with a focus on red and white Bordeaux varieties. The latter is the coolest, foggiest parcel of the Russian River Valley and is responsible for outstanding Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.