Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
-
Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2018 Angeline Vineyards Reserve Chardonnay is satisfying from start to finish. TASTING NOTES: This wine drinks well. Enjoy its lush fruitiness at an al fresco dinner on the patio. (Tasted: November 14, 2019, San Francisco, CA)
Courtney Benham founded Angeline in 1990, in the heart of Sonoma County. Made in the Russian River Valley at Martin Ray Vineyards & Winery, Angeline’s philosophy has been steadfast from the start –make wine that is a true expression of its varietal.Sourcingfruit from premium vineyards throughout California, Angelineis focusedon thefundamentalsof wine: intentional farming and idyllic conditions. With minimal intervention from the winemaking team, AngelineVineyardsemphasizes the characteristics of each varietal, letting the fruit speak.In essence, AngelinePinot Noir tastes like Pinot Noir –bright, focused, and clean.By highlighting the unique qualities of each varietal, Angeline resonates with those that appreciate the simplicity of good winemaking. But most importantly, Angeline is a wine we want to drink. From a white tablecloth to a picnic blanket, a cheese plate, or a cheeseburger, Angeline has range.
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 geographic and climatic paradise for grape vines, Monterey is a part of the greater Central Coast AVA and contains within it five smaller sub-appellations, including Arroyo Seco, San Lucas, San Bernabe, Hames Valley and the famous Santa Lucia Highlands. The climate is relatively warm but tempered by cool, coastal winds, allowing the regions in Monterey County an exceptionally long growing season. Bud break often happens two weeks sooner and harvest tends to be two weeks later compared to other surrounding regions.
Monterey’s coastal side, where the cooling ocean fog allows grapes to develop a perfect sugar-acid balance, excels in the production of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Riesling. Warmer, inland subzones are home to fleshy, concentrated and full-bodied reds like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Zinfandel.
Chardonnay, covering about 40% of vineyard acreage, is the most widely planted grape in all of Monterey County.