Winemaker Notes
Aromas of apricots, honeysuckle and almonds reveal themselves in each swirl. The smooth, silky texture surrounds multifaceted flavors of lemon curd, autumnal pears, hazelnuts and brioche, which are enlivened by both balanced acidity and the minerality characteristic of the Fort Ross Vineyard. The bold finish of this golden wine lingers with finesse and elegance, as the intense flavors continue through the palate. This well-integrated and finely-structured Chardonnay will continue to evolve for many years.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Light and layered, this light, crisp white offers flavors of spicy pear, citrus and marshmallow, a yin-yang complementary palate of subtle richness and complexity. White flowers permeate aromatically as a persistence of lemon and tangerine hit the finish.
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Wine Spectator
Voluptuously creamy, with layers of rich pear, apple, mango and vanilla flavors and spice notes. Pastry details show on the long finish, revealing hints of tannins and plenty of viscosity. Drink now through 2024.
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Wine & Spirits
Jeff Pisoni makes this wine from the highest parcels of chardonnay in the Fort Ross Vineyard. It carries the spice of a French oak–barrel fermentation, with notes of black tea and buttercups. Round and substantial, this has the fat of a scallop in its peach-and-pear-scented fruit, a wine to pour with pasta and scallops dressed in buttery herbs.
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James Suckling
A slightly reduced nose here. The screw cap has wound this up a little, so give it some air. The palate has smoothly delivered fruit flesh and a luxurious core of pears. Drink now.
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.
On the far western edge of the larger Sonoma Coast appellation, the Fort Ross-Seaview AVA hugs right up against the Pacific coast. Vineyards, planted at rugged elevations between 920 to 1,800 feet, occupy only two percent of the total land in the AVA. Fort Ross-Seaview growers believe that the region boasts an ideal mix of sunshine, cool air and beneficial stress for producing high quality Chardonnay and Pinot noir.