Winemaker Notes
The 2017 CIX Estate Chardonnay captivates with aromas of lemon oil, white peach preserve, and nectarine powder interlaced with notes of crushed white gravel and savory spice. The palate is expressive and concentrated with nuanced layers of citrus, pear tart, brioche, and minerals. The CIX finishes long and pure and will age gracefully for 15+ years. The wine is slightly hazy showing our commitment to minimal intervention winemaking.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Planted in 2008 to Montrachet clone, the 2017 Chardonnay CIX Estate is so delightfully savory, you could make a whole meal of it! It opens with bags of praline, pain grille, allspice and dill seed notions over a core of baked apples, pear tart, aniseed and lime leaves plus a touch of sea spray. Full-bodied, the palate has fantastic texture with a little chewy grip countering the slight oiliness and supporting the savory layers beautifully, finishing long and refreshing. Man, I just personally love the style of this wine!
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James Suckling
This is very deep and foursquare with fabulous depth and power. Muscular. Cream, yogurt and layers of fruit. Extremely rich and flavorful. Love the finish. Oily at the end. Rating: 97-98
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 vast appellation covering Sonoma County’s Pacific coastline, the Sonoma Coast AVA runs all the way from the Mendocino County border, south to the San Pablo Bay. The region can actually be divided into two sections—the actual coastal vineyards, marked by marine soils, cool temperatures and saline ocean breezes—and the warmer, drier vineyards further inland, which are still heavily influenced by the Pacific but not quite with same intensity.
Contained within the appellation are the much smaller Fort Ross-Seaview and Petaluma Gap AVAs.
The Sonoma Coast is highly regarded for elegant Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and, increasingly, cool-climate Syrah. The wines have high acidity, moderate alcohol, firm tannin, and balanced ripeness.