Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
This is rich and oaky in honey and graham cracker yet completely well integrated in terms of tannin and power. Silky smooth, it invites with compelling layers of apple, pear and fresh-squeezed blood orange, finishing roundly satisfying.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Merryvale always does a nice job with Chardonnay and their 2013 Chardonnay is no exception. It exhibits plenty of citrus oil and tangerine skin notes, medium body, subtle oak and a long, exuberant, fresh, fruity finish. This beauty should drink nicely for 2-3 years.
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.