Cuvee Sauvage Russian River Chardonnay 2017
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Wine
Spectator -
Wilfred
Wong
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Wine Spectator
This shows good cut to the crushed stone and lemon curd flavors, crisp and balanced, with buttery and creamy accents. Notes of dried sage emerge on the finish. Drink now through 2024.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The Cuvée Sauvage moniker—formerly under the Franciscan umbrella—appears to be taking another step forward with the 2017 vintage in its journey. This vintage is impressive in its richness, purity, and balance. TASTING NOTES: This wine is beautifully bright. Its aromas and flavors of creamy notes and ripe, stone fruits built to an excellent crescendo into a long and delicious finish. Pair it with grilled organic chicken, slices of ripe nectarines, fresh greens, and a touch of balsamic vinegar. (Tasted: July 25, 2019, San Francisco, CA)
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 standout region for its decidedly Californian take on Burgundian varieties, the Russian River Valley is named for the eponymous river that flows through it. While there are warm pockets of the AVA, it is mostly a cool-climate growing region thanks to breezes and fog from the nearby Pacific Ocean.
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir reign supreme in Russian River, with the best examples demonstrating a unique combination of richness and restraint. The cool weather makes Russian River an ideal AVA for sparkling wine production, utilizing the aforementioned varieties. Zinfandel also performs exceptionally well here. Within the Russian River Valley lie the smaller appellations of Chalk Hill and Green Valley. The former, farther from the ocean, is relatively warm, with a focus on red and white Bordeaux varieties. The latter is the coolest, foggiest parcel of the Russian River Valley and is responsible for outstanding Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.