Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A fresh and clean wine with lovely linear structure that gives the wine energy and power. Medium body, lovely cream and flan and hints of stone. Love the subtlety and length.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2013 Chardonnay is lively and gregarious with elderflower, quince and white peach aromas accented by lime peel, slate and oyster shell. The palate explodes with pure, mineral-laced fruits, tangy and fresh with a very long, layered finish. This is so pure, vivacious and lovely!
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.