Winemaker Notes
Exquisite aromas of Bosc pear, green mango, lemon zest andjasmine mingle with scents reminiscent of brioche, anise anddusty slate. While the expansive flavors echo the aromas, thereis saline quality that gives a savory tone to the overall impression.The taught structure gives the sense of a lighter weight.However, over the course of a few hours in decanter or openedbottle, the mouthfeel gains richness and texture, suggestinggreat things over the next ten or more years for those patientenough to lay some away in their cellar.
Professional Ratings
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Decanter
Individual judges' scores: Mark Andrew 91 Stephen Brook 93 Andy Howard MW 90 A nose that captures the attention: chiselled, fresh and elegant. Oak is subtle and integrated with a mineral edge and some phenolic grip on the palate. Green citrus and basil notes bring complexity. Understated, yet modern with a pleasant finish.
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Wine Spectator
Pure and focused on fresh citrus, with touches of lemon, blood orange and citrus blossom, maintaining a core zestiness through the persistent finish.
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.
Perhaps the most historically significant appellation in Sonoma County, the Sonoma Valley is home to both Buena Vista winery, California's oldest commercial winery, and Gundlach Bundschu winery, California's oldest family-run winery.
It is also one of the more geologically and climactically diverse districts. The valley includes and overlaps four distinct Sonoma County sub-appellations, including Carneros, Moon Mountain District, Sonoma Mountain and Bennett Valley. With mountains, benchlands, plains, abundant sunshine and the cooling effects of the nearby Pacific, this appellation can successfully produce a wide range of grape varieties. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Gewürztraminer, and most notably, Zinfandel all thrive here. Ancient Zinfandel vines over 100 years old produce small crops of concentrated, spicy fruit, which in turn make some of the Valley's most unique wines. These can also be made as “field blends” (wines made from a mix of grape varieties grown in the same vineyard) along with Petite Sirah, Carignan and Alicante Bouschet.