Winemaker Notes
Grown on the banks of the Russian River, this elegant single-vineyard Chardonnay forwent malolactic fermentation in order to showcase the signature Mendocino County taste profile. Firm pear and apple fruit flavors are balanced with luminous minerality and a subtle framing of creamy vanilla toast.
Certified “Fish Friendly Farmed” and “Certified California Sustainable Winegrowing”. Vegan.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
This generous and well balanced wine offers a fresh apple and peach center accented by subtle vanilla, butter and almond. The mouthfeel is full and creamy but not heavy.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2018 Moniker Single Vineyard La Ribera Vineyard Mendocino Chardonnay packs weight and firmness on the palate. TASTING NOTES: This wine brings earthy notes, creaminess, and ripe fruit in its aromas and flavors. Try it with grilled crab legs in a savory, cream sauce. (Tasted: February 15, 2021, San Francisco, CA)
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 large and diverse appellation within California’s North Coast AVA, Mendocino is home to several smaller sub-regions—most notably the Anderson Valley. This scenic region, with rolling hills covered in redwood forests as well as vineyards, is one of the world’s top producers of certified organically-grown grapes. Due to wide geographical and climatic variation, a vast array of wine styles can be found here.