Winemaker Notes
The 2022 Reserve Chardonnay exemplifies the picturesque Carneros growing region. Opening with deeply complex aromas of apple crisp, caramel popcorn, golden delicious apple, quince, and créme brûlée, this wine beckons the first sip. On the palate, the creamy texture is layered with intriguing flavors - Bartlet pear, peach cobbler, graham cracker, and toffee, culminating in a long, indulgent finish.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Aromas of flint, sliced apple, hazelnut and toffee follow through to a full body. Tight and focused with a reserved and thoughtful finish. Spicy on the finish. Lots of energy here. Will age nicely.
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Jeb Dunnuck
A youthful yellow color, the 2022 Chardonnay Reserve is generous and sunny on the nose, with notes of pithy citrus, almond, yellow flowers, and golden apple. Full-bodied, it’s ripe and rounded, with a pithy texture and a warming feel. Sunny and ripe, it offers notes of honeyed citrus and vanilla on the palate and has a rather long finish. It’s a decadent wine, but it has balance.
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.