Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Tasting Panel
Deep gold color; elegant and creamy with a firm core of bright acidity; smooth, bright and fresh with finesse and lovely Burgundian style; long and sensual – a complete package.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2009 Chardonnay opens with top notes of lime peel, flint and candle smoke, slowly segueing to white peaches, quince and tangerine with nuances of elderflower and cashews. The palate offers lovely layers and smoky, minerally character, with good freshness and texture and a long finish.
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Wine Spectator
Sleek and focused on a trim mix of nectarine, tangerine and white peach. Pure, elegant and vibrant, ending with a burst of citrus.
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.