Winemaker Notes
The 2012 Eastside Chardonnay is a pure expression of site-driven characteristics. Initially there are intense fruit aromas of lemons, limes and nectarines. The soil influence begins to gain ground and weave its way through the glass, expressing soap stone, wet concrete and crushed gravel. These organic qualities add immense depth and subtlety. On the palate, citrus oils and lemon brioche create a concentrated richness and glycerin texture. The unique structure of this Chardonnay is focused, and will allow this wine to age for 7+ years. The wine has a slight hazy clarity showing their commitment to minimal intervention winemaking.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2012 Chardonnay East Side, a vineyard owned by top viticulturist Ulises Valdez, is a 1,000-case cuvee that reveals a liquified wet stone character intermixed with notes of white currants, quince, honeysuckle, pineapple and peach marmalade. Strong minerality as well as a remarkable finish make this a candidate for perfection.
Range: 99-100 Points
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Wine Spectator
Delicious from start to lingering finish, this is rich, broad and exotic, with tiers of complexity built around smoke, fig, apricot, citrus peel and bubble gum flavors. Features a silky smooth texture and just the right amount of tannins.
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.