Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Warm and toasted aromas of baked citrus, stone fruit, macadamia nut, crushed sage and dried flowers. Full-bodied. Supremely elegant and sleek. Suede, paprika, turmeric, rose water, lily and dried stone fruit wrap around structured tannins that effortlessly carry the flavors with vivid depth and intensity. Balanced, layered and long. Superb. Drink or hold.
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Wine Spectator
Rich acidity supports the focused flavors of Fuji apple, Asian pear and citrus that are vibrant and well-focused. Accents of dried sage mid palate lead to a mineral-infused finish that shows buttery hints. Best from 2022 through 2027.
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.