Winemaker Notes
The berries were firm at harvest and therefore vivid, deep flavors, great acidity and excellent freshness. The wines will be very pure, with strong specific vineyard signatures. But moderate weather prevailed throughout summer. The lack of heat waves kept sugar levels and phenolic maturity in sync. Ripening progressed slowly and predictably. Winemaker Kirk Venge ages this wine in 30% new French oak over a period of 10 months, allowing the fruit’s characteristics to shine. The beautiful concentration of fruit flavors take on the richness from the French oak barrels while the wine’s balanced acidity maintains a crisp, bright palate.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Focused acidity keeps the richness of this wine in check, keeping a balanced freshness that appeals. Apple, pineapple and high-toned citrus combine around hints of baking spice, vanilla bean and nuanced oak.
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.
A standout region for its decidedly Californian take on Burgundian varieties, the Russian River Valley is named for the eponymous river that flows through it. While there are warm pockets of the AVA, it is mostly a cool-climate growing region thanks to breezes and fog from the nearby Pacific Ocean.
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir reign supreme in Russian River, with the best examples demonstrating a unique combination of richness and restraint. The cool weather makes Russian River an ideal AVA for sparkling wine production, utilizing the aforementioned varieties. Zinfandel also performs exceptionally well here. Within the Russian River Valley lie the smaller appellations of Chalk Hill and Green Valley. The former, farther from the ocean, is relatively warm, with a focus on red and white Bordeaux varieties. The latter is the coolest, foggiest parcel of the Russian River Valley and is responsible for outstanding Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.