Winemaker Notes
Intese citrus and floral notes are combined with flavors of white peaches and nectarines that are enhanced by a well-integrated acidity. Long and vibrant with an impeccable clean smooth finish.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Dried jasmine, pineapple, lime curd, toasted bread, seashells, salted butter, flint and spices on the nose. It’s medium-to full-bodied with vibrant acidity. Complex and layered with vibrant fresh-fruit, herb and mineral notes. Distinct saline character. Long and tight. From organically grown grapes. Vegan. Sustainable. Drink or hold.
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Vinous
The 2020 Chardonnay Ritual from Casablanca was 80% fermented in barrels and aged in them 12 months. Yellow with a golden sheen. The nose presents green apple, creamed corn, praline, and biscuit notes over a hazelnut layer. In the mouth it’s tense and compact with a fatty, voluminous flow and bold aftertaste. The slightly fizzy, fresh texture comes as a pleasant surprise.
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 region that has become synonymous with some of the best whites of Chile, the Casablanca Valley is full of dozens of bodegas who either grow fruit here or come from outside to source from local growers for their own white wine programs. The valley runs from east to west, which means that its westernmost vineyards receive the most cooling influence from the reliable afternoon sea breezes. The soils also tend to be heavier in clay in the west, whereas the eastern end of the valley is warmer and its soils are predominantly granitic. Sauvignon blanc thrives here, Chardonnay does well and Pinot noir is not uncommon.