Winemaker Notes
The 2019 Fog Dance Chardonnay displays bright aromas of citrus oil, peach pit and orange blossom. The flavors of mandarin orange, white peach and preserved lemon meld together with a mineral-driven finish, reflecting its cool Green Valley terroir.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Taking its name from the nightly fog that rolls into the vineyard, the 2019 Chardonnay Fog Dance Vineyard was aged for 13 months in French oak, of which 27% was new. Savory with white button mushroom and light tropical fruit including pineapple, the palate is fleshy, with mango skin and white grapefruit.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2019 Chardonnay Fog Dance Vineyard was barrel fermented and matured for 14 months in 19% new French oak. Shy to begin, it unfurls to scents of lemon, lime and candied orange, plus accents of iodine and saline, an alluring introduction to the expansive, textural, full-bodied palate. It surprises with its intense, juicy fruits, dynamic flavors and extended, concentrated finish. It's a rare combination of hedonism and energy that will offer dynamic expression as it matures over the next decade in bottle.
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Wine Spectator
Plush and creamy up front, with spice and peach blossom flavors, tropical and citrus accents at the core and appealing grace notes of spice and honey. Features a touch of minerality on the finish. 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.
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.