Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
This bold, well-oaked and buttery wine fills the mouth with opulent baked apple, poached pear and oak spices like ginger, vanilla and coconut. A full body, posh texture and lingering finish add to its classic appeal.
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James Suckling
Notes of peaches and pears with lemon curd, toffee and beeswax undertones. The palate is full and creamy, toned up by crisp, citrusy acidity, with a spicy and nutty finish.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
Medium to deep yellow in hue, the 2021 Cuvaison Chardonnay opens with creamy, oak-driven aromas layered with ripe apple and subtle baking spice. Full-bodied and firmly structured on the palate, it offers depth and layering with a dry profile, medium acidity, and excellent balance. Flavors echo the nose, showcasing ripe apple and oak tones with medium to full intensity, culminating in a smooth, moderately long finish. Pair this with seared scallops in a brown butter and sage sauce—the richness and elegance of the dish mirror the wine’s layered texture beautifully. (Tasted: June 17, 2023, San Francisco, CA)
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Wine Spectator
Crisp and lively, with terrific persistence to the Meyer lemon, pineapple and green apple flavors at the sleek core, showing salty minerality, a fresh squeeze of lime juice and hints of lemon blossoms 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.