Winemaker Notes
A pale golden yellow with greenish reflections. Wonderful and delicate tears, a sign of an incredible richness. Delicate and complex: toasted, slightly buttery and spicy (vanilla) aromas. Then, notes of acacia flower and apricot open up. The attack is bold. The heart of the tasting is silky and intense. Buttery notes intermingle with aromas of blood orange. The saline finish is perfectly balanced between natural tension and the minerality of the Chardonnay.
This wine would be perfectly served with shellfish, like oysters. A scallop tartare with citrus fruits is for sure a pleasing pairing. A white-fleshed fish with a creamy sauce will bring out the complexity of this wine.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
Distinctive, with flavors of poached pear, candied ginger, marmalade and a note of fresh tarragon. Packs an elegant, sleek and juicy frame, with a mineral note lingering on the finish. Drink now. 1,500 cases made.
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.