Winemaker Notes
Vibrant aromatics of lime and orange blossom explode at the first sip of our 2022 Chardonnay, offering a brilliant introduction to this wine. The floral notes interplay beautifully with hints of quince, subtle hazelnut and zesty citrus. Nuanced, perfectly balanced and delightful, this wine continues to please long after the glass has been put down. Lively acid and the tension.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2022 Chardonnay is produced from purchased fruit, but don't discount the wine for that. It's a bright, fresh effort, all barrel-fermented but with only 10% new oak; just 30% of the wine underwent malolactic fermentation. Toasted almond notes accent pear, melon and pineapple fruit in this plump, medium to full-bodied wine that seems tropical at times but finishes crisp and lemony.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Bright citrus, orange blossom, white flowers, and a kiss of minerality all emerge from the 2022 Chardonnay from Pride, a medium-bodied, clean, classy Chardonnay that has sweet fruit, good balance, and outstanding length.
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Wine Enthusiast
A mix of dried fruits—peaches, apples and lemon—combine with layers of toasted oak spices carrying through a creamy mouthfeel and a firm finish for a persistent and flavorful Chardonnay.
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.