Winemaker Notes
Thanks to a wonderful growing season which provided perfectly ripened grapes, Tony Coltrin was able to make an expressive, approachable and fruit forward Chardonnay. Having undergone simultaneous alcoholic and malolactic barrel fermentation, spending 9 months sur lie in 33% new French oak, the 2016 Los Carneros Chardonnay showcases balanced fruit, lingering acidity and rich flavors and aromas of caramelized white pear, fresh fuji and golden delicious apple, apple blossoms and torched crème bruleé.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
Delicate, offering layers of white fruit and spice flavors supported by fresh acidity. Lemon drop notes show mid-palate, with a plush finish. Drink now through 2022.
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.