Winemaker Notes
Tucked within several acres of Pinot Noir at Doc's Ranch, JoAnn's Block features one acre of Clone 5 Chardonnay. Doc's is right next door to Coastlands, only 3 miles from the ocean, making it one of the westerly most planted vineyards on the Sonoma Coast. With its extreme proximity to the Pacific, JoAnn's block consistently yields the most electric and concentrated Chardonnay within the portfolio.
Professional Ratings
-
Decanter
Ethereal, this .3ha parcel from the Doc's Ranch JoAnn's Block offers a Chardonnay loaded with seaspray minerality; Ross picked it when he thought it was ready to go, judging by aromatics rather than brix or pH. Cobb uses full malo to balance the laser-powered acidity—aromas of lemon grass, seaspray and smoky lime pith. The palate is effusive and energetic with cut green apple, petrichor, and lemon oil.
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2021 Chardonnay Doc's Ranch Vineyard Joann's Block comes from vines planted in marine sedimentary soils at 1,000 feet in altitude. It underwent full malolactic conversion and was matured in 10% new French oak for 22 months. It has delicate, slowly unwinding scents of golden apples, bread dough, beeswax, saline and matchstick. The light-bodied palate is intensely focused, with a tangy spine of acidity driving expansive fruits that seem to gain in intensity as it glides through the mouth, and a touch of texture lengthens the finish. Reminiscent of Chablis, the Joann's Block offers surprising flavor for its modest 11.2% alcohol, and it will be long lived in bottle.
Rating: 96+ -
Wine Enthusiast
Beautiful aromas of honeysuckle, orange blossom, river rock and Meyer lemon dominate the nose of this focused and lively wine. The palate vibrates with punchy citrus flavors and minerality, ebbing and diving through a long finish with loads of energy.
-
Wine Spectator
There's plenty of concentration to the lemon, yuzu and apple flavors at the core of this bracing white, along with zingy acidity. Savory details of beeswax, saline and toasted herbs add to the complexity, while a note of oolong tea provides a smooth texture. Drink now. 260 cases made.
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.