Winemaker Notes
The aromas from this Chardonnay are reminiscent of ripe pears and fruit crisp. The palate is balanced nicely with classic barrel fermented flavors and creamy midpalate textures. The finish reminds one of fresh fruit and cream. Enjoy this multi-layered wine slightly chilled before a meal or with any entree where a full-bodied white wine is appropriate.
Professional Ratings
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Wine & Spirits
We weren’t surprised to see Foppiano’s zinfandels and petite sirahs performing well in our June issue tastings—those are varieties the Foppiano family considers their specialties. But it was surprising to find this bright, tense and fully saturated chardonnay from Foppiano, where a new winemaker came on board in 2015. Nova Perrill started his career at Mount Eden Vineyards; at Foppiano, he’s been allowing some of the lots to ferment and undergo malolactic fermentation on their own, then extending the barrel aging, presenting a 2017 with lemongrass tension and bright yellow flavors of nectarine and apple. It’s spicy and nutty, cool and fresh. Best Buy
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.