Winemaker Notes
This cool-climate Chardonnay focuses on highlighting the purity of the fruit and the expression of its terroir. Elegance and clarity are the hallmarks of our style, with these qualities suggested in the bouquet and fully realized on the palate. As the wine is swirled and sniffed, its cool-climate origins become evident through a fragrant bouquet of blossoms, orange zest, honeycomb, and sea salt. On the palate, the focused yet luscious fruit profile of Clone 4 emerges with light to medium-weight stone fruit, most notably white peach, complemented by green apple and glacée lemon. These flavors are underscored by a subtle creaminess and a savory mineral note reminiscent of wet river stones.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Refined and pure with a reductive edge and aromas of preserved lemons, honeysuckle and beeswax. The palate is medium-bodied with a creamy mouthfeel and bright acidity, giving notes of lime curd, orange pith, grapefruit and flint. Bright and fresh. Drink or hold.
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Wine Enthusiast
Lovely floral aromas swirl alongside fresh apple, Meyer lemon and pineapple on the nose of this charming Chardonnay. The palate brings flavors of fresh Anjou pear, nectarine, lemon peel and orange blossom before a long finish with tons of flowers and spice.
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.