Winemaker Notes
Ripe apple, mineral, and hazelnut aromas combine with its balanced finish. It is structured for aging and will reward those with the patience to cellar this wine.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2016 Chardonnay River Block was barrel fermented and spent 9 months in 30% new French oak. It offers a medium gold color as well as a classic, gorgeously layered bouquet of ripe orchard fruits, caramelized citrus, brioche, and spice. Deep, full-bodied, powerful and concentrated, it's a classic, old-school Chardonnay done brilliantly. It's going to age beautifully.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2016 Chardonnay River Block delivers gorgeous grapefruit, ripe apple and lime leaves with hints of baking bread, nutmeg and yuzu with a waft of ginger. Medium to full bodied, the palate sings with grapefruit and lime freshness, marked by a racy line, finishing long and minerally.
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Wine Spectator
Zesty lime and citrus notes are trim and lively, clean and refreshing, with fig, anise, apricot and melon flavors moving to the forefront, giving this depth and persistence. Drink now through 2023.
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 standout region for its decidedly Californian take on Burgundian varieties, the Russian River Valley is named for the eponymous river that flows through it. While there are warm pockets of the AVA, it is mostly a cool-climate growing region thanks to breezes and fog from the nearby Pacific Ocean.
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir reign supreme in Russian River, with the best examples demonstrating a unique combination of richness and restraint. The cool weather makes Russian River an ideal AVA for sparkling wine production, utilizing the aforementioned varieties. Zinfandel also performs exceptionally well here. Within the Russian River Valley lie the smaller appellations of Chalk Hill and Green Valley. The former, farther from the ocean, is relatively warm, with a focus on red and white Bordeaux varieties. The latter is the coolest, foggiest parcel of the Russian River Valley and is responsible for outstanding Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.