Winemaker Notes
The elegant 2019 Estate Chardonnay shows the softness that came with a moderate vintage. Lovely notes of stone fruit, particularly apricot, lemon, and an orange creamsicle finish make for a very complete and pleasurable experience.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Aromas of white peaches, spiced apples, dried honeysuckle, lemon pith, cedar and cloves. It’s full-bodied with fresh acidity and a vibrant, tight and textured palate. Long and focused. Richer style and density. Drink now or hold.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2019 Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard sings of fresh grapefruit, white peaches and nutmeg with hints of lemongrass and lime blossoms. Medium-bodied with elegant stone fruit layers and a satiny texture, it finishes with a spicy lift.
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Wine Spectator
This has a firm backbone of rich acidity to the gooseberry and fresh-cut green apple flavors, which are vibrant and well-structured. Shows a minerally and savory grip that lingers on the powerful finish. Drink now through 2026.
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.
Known for elegant wines that combine power and finesse, Carneros is set in the rolling hills that straddle the southernmost parts of both Sonoma and Napa counties. The cooling winds from the abutting San Pablo Bay, combined with lots of midday California sunshine, create an ideal environment for producing wines with a perfect balance of crisp acidity and well-ripened fruit.
This cooler pocket of California lends itself to growing Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah. Carneros is an important source of sparkling wines made in the style of Champagne as well.