Winemaker Notes
The Reserve’s commanding entry of ripe Asian pear, juicy red apple, lemon curd and marzipan flavors set the scene for the real show-stopper of this wine: the hedonistically rich texture that fills the palate with voluminous flavor and leads them slowly into a long, lingering finish.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Beautiful white with sliced apples and minerals and hints of vanilla and cream. Some biscuit. Full-bodied, very focused and tight with a driven finish. Extremely long and lively. Bright acidity kicks in at the end. Lovely now to drink, but will improve with age.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Starting with the 2017 Chardonnay Reserve, which was all barrel fermented and aged, it has a medium-bodied, clean, crisp style as well as lots of lemon-laced fruits and subtle floral notes. Coming mostly from the Hyde Vineyard in Carneros, drink it any time over the coming 2-4 years.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2017 Chardonnay Reserve is sporting loads of toasty oak to begin with underlying baked pears, apple pie and allspice notes plus a touch of pineapple upside down cake. Medium-bodied, the palate delivers loads of spicy apple and pear flavors with a lively backbone and oak-kissed 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.
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.