Winemaker Notes
Aromatics of lemon curd and honey crisp apple are lifted by linden flower, a subtle flintiness and zesty ginger spice. In the mouth, white peach, fresh chervil, brioche and minerally nuances transition to bright lemon-orange citrus, which adds refreshing zeal to the textured and sumptuous finish. A striking chardonnay of classic cut and balance.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Starting with the two Chardonnays, the 2019 Chardonnay offers a clean, pure nose of white peach and stone fruits as well as hints of honeysuckle, green almond, and citrus. It's medium-bodied and has notable purity of fruit, a racy yet integrated spine of acidity, and a great finish.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2019 Chardonnay slowly opens to offer scents of fresh Golden Delicious apples, white peaches and honeydew melon with hints of lemon drops, sea spray and powdered ginger. Medium-bodied, the palate is elegantly styled and refreshing with a lovely suggestion of creaminess to the texture and a spicy kick to the 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.
Reaching up California's coastline and into its valleys north of San Francisco, the North Coast AVA includes six counties: Marin, Solano, Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino and Lake. While Napa and Sonoma enjoy most of the glory, the rest produce no shortage of quality wines in an intriguing and diverse range of styles.
Climbing up the state's rugged coastline, the chilly Marin County, just above the City and most of Sonoma County, as well as Mendocino County on the far north end of the North Coast successfully grow cool-climate varieties like Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and in some spots, Riesling. Inland Lake County, on the other hand, is considerably warmer, and Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel and Sauvignon Blanc produce some impressive wines with affordable price tags.