Winemaker Notes
This wine is a treat for the senses. An alluring bouquet of spiced pear, dried apricot, toasted marshmallow, and caramel popcorn give a grand introduction to the intricate palate. Rich, yet delicate layers of apricot, lemon chiffon, and vanilla buttercream are lifted by perfectly balanced acidity, making every sip as enjoyable as the first.
This wine’s rich fruit component complements mildly-spiced vegetarian dishes and rich, creamy shellfish entrées. It also works well with veal, poultry, pasta and rice.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Sliced ripe apples with some nuts, flint and lightly charred wood. Full bodied with lovely texture and tension. A rather steely finish with firmness and seriousness. Drink or hold.
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Wine Enthusiast
This opulent and richly textured Chardonnay shows a ton of spiced pear, citrus and caramel aromas on the nose. The palate displays lots of texture from the barrel program alongside sweet apple fruit and marzipan candy flavors. There's a lot of pleasure here for the right Chard lovers.
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.