Winemaker Notes
Reminiscent of a classic white Burgundy, this chardonnay displays flavors of ripe pineapple and vibrant minerality accompanied by mouth-watering natural acidity typically found in Peters Vineyard.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
This wine is vibrant and layered with accents of spicy oak. Salt, wet stone and pretzel flavors are complemented by more traditional notions of green apple and pear, with flourishes of hazelnut and vanilla on the close.
Editors' Choice -
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2017 Chardonnay Peters Vineyard opens with fresh green apple, pear and lime zest with baker's yeast, acacia blossom and stony hints. The palate is medium-bodied with creamy ripe fruits and hazelnut notes coming through on the juicy finish.
Rating: 91+ -
James Suckling
Some riper character in this young chardonnay with peaches and melon, delivered amid spicy, nutty, savory nuances on the palate.
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.