Winemaker Notes
Made exclusively using grapes from our own acclaimed Carneros estate vineyard, which we have been farming for more than four decades, this Chardonnay leads with vibrant aromas of cotton, vanilla and jasmine flower. On the palate, balanced acidity gives the wine a smooth mouthfeel with a refreshing green apple finish.
Professional Ratings
-
Wine Enthusiast
Reductive and salty, this impressive wine is structured and cohesive, a memorable experience in its lovely grasp of jasmine, lemon and tangerine. Rich complements of brioche and vanilla bean come to fore on the long finish.
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2018 Chardonnay Estate comes barreling out of the glass with ripe pears, apricots and honeydew melon scents, followed by nuances of lemon butter and crushed almonds. The medium-bodied palate reveals a spicy hint of oak, complementing the juicy stone fruit and melon-inspired flavors, finishing long and creamy.
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.