Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
A lengthy, plush and full-bodied expression of the variety, this wine is sourced from the producer's estate, Stanly Ranch, as well as Hyde and Poe vineyards. Salty caramel and toffee are complemented by bright orange and lemon accents. It's well balanced and attractive now.
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James Suckling
Cooked lemon aromas with hints of green apple and orange. Medium to full body, layered and flavorful. Bright acidity. Carneros character.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Merryvale’s beautiful 2015 Chardonnay offers up notes of orange blossom, tangerine oil and poached pear along with great acidity and minerality. It is fresh, lively, medium to full-bodied, and a totally complete Chardonnay. Moreover, it not only sells at a fair price, but it appears to be capable of evolving and lasting for another 4-5 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.