Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2015 Chardonnay Fog Dance Vineyard comes from a hillside parcel in the cooler Green Valley portion of the Russian River. Barrel fermented and aged 16 months in 36% new French oak, it offers a huge nose of orange blossom, tangerines, and citrus oil, full body, a crisp, beautifully detailed, delineated texture, good acidity, and a big finish. Drink this elegant yet powerful Russian River Chardonnay over the coming 5-7 years. It’s terrific stuff.
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Wine Enthusiast
This is a substantial complex white, reduced nobly on the nose, with an exotic hint of oak spice and matchstick. Bright focused acidity lifts a grainy texture of mineral-laden stoniness, as high-toned aspects of tangerine and grapefruit underline the freshness that lingers with length.
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.
Situated on the foggier and colder western edge of the Russian River Valley, almost abutting the Sonoma Coast appellation, Green Valley is one of California’s most reputable Chardonnay and Pinot noir producing regions. It is also a wonderful source of sparkling wines made from these varieties.
Goldridge soils abound throughout the Green Valley appellation. This fine, dark, sandy loam and fractured sandstone is derived from the remains of ancient inland seabeds dating back three to five million years. It is valuable for high quality grape growing because of its excellent drainage and low fertility.