Winemaker Notes
Acero is the Spanish word for steel and it refers to the fact that this wine has never seen any oak. Especially selected for fruit intensity and aromatics, the grapes are fermented in stainless steel to capture the purity of the flavors. After completing malolactic fermentation, the wine is kept in the tank until bottling in early spring.
The intense aromas of baked apple and refreshing notes of Meyer lemon are classic of this wine, with its savory palate and vibrant acidity. The finish is rich but dry, with spicy nutmeg, long and creamy. Easy to drink and perfect with foods like tapas, seafood and light dishes.
Professional Ratings
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Wine & Spirits
This chardonnay, made without oak, gains its richness from concentrated white fruit and the creaminess of malolactic conversion. Its mild notes of lemon curd and tahini make it a smoky, salty white for roast veal. (1,210 cases)
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.