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From Sanel Valley’s fertile riverbank in Mendocino’s interior, this Burgundian-style white is grown with holistic farming practices in a temperate climate on ancient soil. Crafted from free-run juice, it was 100% barrel-fermented for 18 months. On the nose, toasty oak is indulgent with marshmallow and pear tart; toffee and lemon cream pie then merge on the palate, preceding notes of apple tart tartine and summer peach that prove even more enticing. Cashew and fig linger on the long fnish.
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 large and diverse appellation within California’s North Coast AVA, Mendocino is home to several smaller sub-regions—most notably the Anderson Valley. This scenic region, with rolling hills covered in redwood forests as well as vineyards, is one of the world’s top producers of certified organically-grown grapes. Due to wide geographical and climatic variation, a vast array of wine styles can be found here.