Winemaker Notes
Named for the Carneros wind and the strap that keeps your hat in place, this Chardonnay shows golden apple and toasted almond.
Perfect for holiday meals or fireside sipping.
Professional Ratings
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Tasting Panel
Clean and bright, with chamomile and candle wax up front. Fresh croissant is lathered with lemon marmalade and seasoned with thyme and rosemary.
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James Suckling
Aromas of peach jam and vanilla bean lead to a broad palate that's rich in peach, vanilla, cream and butter flavors. This full-bodied wine goes all out for an extravagant oaky and buttery expression.
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Wine Enthusiast
Aromas of Golden Delicious apple, beeswax and brioche waft from the glass on the nose of this Chardonnay. The palate delivers rounded pear, sweet cinnamon and fresh apple flavors and a lengthy finish.
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Wine Spectator
This distinctive version offers flavors of grilled citrus and peach preserves, with a pretty floral note of honeysuckle and an accent of litsea oil. Details of salted Marcona almond, toast, spices and struck match add a savory dimension on the finish.
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.
Known for elegant wines that combine power and finesse, Carneros is set in the rolling hills that straddle the southernmost parts of both Sonoma and Napa counties. The cooling winds from the abutting San Pablo Bay, combined with lots of midday California sunshine, create an ideal environment for producing wines with a perfect balance of crisp acidity and well-ripened fruit.
This cooler pocket of California lends itself to growing Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah. Carneros is an important source of sparkling wines made in the style of Champagne as well.