Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
-
Wine Enthusiast
This wine opens in a flurry of pungent apple blossom and orange zest aromas. On the palate, it shows a zesty fullness of apple, Meyer lemon and lemongrass flavor, complemented by competing notions of stony minerality and lush creaminess on the finish.
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2014 Chardonnay comes from three vineyards, Laguna Ranch, Two Rock and Del Rio, all of them in Russian River Valley. It spent 16 months sur lie in 80% new French oak with malolactic in barrel. The wine is a classic Russian River Chardonnay with notes of tropical fruits, honeysuckle, spice box, earth, fruitcake and plenty of exotic fruits and spices. It is medium to full-bodied, savory, fleshy and pure. Drink it over the next 7-8 years.
California’s most praised white wine, Chardonnay is also the state’s most planted white grape variety. Diverse terrain and microclimates allow for an incredible range of wine styles.
Chardonnay planted in the cooler, coastal zones takes on bright characteristics like lemon zest, key lime, green apple and wet flint. For this style, look to the chilly Sonoma Coast, Carneros, Santa Cruz Mountains, Santa Lucia Highlands and Edna Valley.
The inland zones of California’s coast, such as the Russian River, Sonoma, Napa and Livermore Valleys maintain a more Goldilocks-esque climate where both styles go. Early picking retains acidity and creates a leaner style but leaving the grapes to hang creates an approachable Chardonnay, balancing richness and finesse.
Chardonnay also plays a major part in the sparkling wine production of the Anderson Valley and Carneros.