Winemaker Notes
Notes of lemon blossom, caramel, and baking spices are echoed on the palate by lemon curd, salted toffee, and toasted coconut.
One of the finest food wines, the Double L Chardonnay will pair wonderfully with seafood and poultry dishes, as well as a buttery steak
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Blanched almond, lemon zest and warm buttercream aromas invite the nose into this bottling. The palate is pithy in texture and flavor, as flavors of lemon glaze and nectarine meet with almond and ripe pear.
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Wine Spectator
Shows powerful, tangy citrus and peach flavors, with generous lemony accents and a touch of fresh-cut apple, plus orange blossom and fresh tangerine flavors that linger on the juicy finish.
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.
Perhaps the most highly regarded appellation within Monterey County, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA benefits from a combination of warm morning sunshine and brisk afternoon breezes, allowing grapes to ripen slowly and fully. The result is concentrated, flavorful wines that retain their natural acidity. Wineries here do not shy away from innovation, and place a high priority on sustainable viticultural practices.
The climatic conditions here are perfectly suited to the production of ripe, rich Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. These Burgundian varieties dominate an overwhelming percentage of plantings, though growers have also found success with Syrah, Riesling and Pinot Gris.