Winemaker Notes
This wine exudes all the extraordinary personalities of a Burgundy white in an unmistakably continental fashion. It breathes subtle perfumes of candle wax, powdered sugar, white flowers, along with a hint of honey and citrus. But it really shows its old world character in its precious notes of matchbook, wet stone, and just a sliver of French oak from the one single new oak barrel procured from the Nadalié cooperage in France each year. The 2019 is a genuinely sophisticated wine showcasing savory and zest fruit qualities and probably the most age-worthy attempt we have ever produced. Even with full malolactic fermentation, and then aged 11 months in equal treatments of concrete, oak and stainless steel, you’ll pick up not a trace of the butter nor the vanilla that you would expect from a typical Sonoma Chardonnay. Finally, in keeping with its Old World roots, the acidity here is just electrifying, a stunningly bright expression for California, hailing from the historic Bacigalupi vineyards.
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.