Winemaker Notes
This lovely Un-Oaked Chardonnay is perfect for all gatherings. It’s refreshingly fruity and light-bodied, with a beautifully transparent, pale yellow color. It has showy fruit aromas of Asian pear and Golden Delicious apple; and, ripe citrus, like key lime and tangerine. With a touch of sweet, this wine is just bursting with lingering flavors of juicy, ripe poached pears. Yet, it is fresh and crisp.
Pair Chardonnay with subtly flavored, simply seasoned poultry and pork dishes. Also goes well with meaty fish (halibut, cod) and shellfish (lobster, shrimp, crab, scallops.)
Forty years of pursuing a dream would deter most people, but not Ron Rubin. His dream of owning a winery began in college at UC-Davis when he was 22 years old. Although it took him to the age of 62 to achieve his dream, today The Rubin Family of Wines strikes the right balance of people, patience, location, sustainability, and quality to craft beautiful wines. It was the discovery of a hidden gem, a small 10 acres, which lead to the pursuit of Ron’s forty year old dream.
The Rubin Family of Wines protects their environment through sustainable practices. The Green Valley, where Rubin is located, of the Russian River Valley is an ideal location to grow grapes. It is the coolest and foggiest part of the RRV. Furthermore, the estate’s Goldrich soil is ideal for growing Pinot Noir, and other cool-climate grapes. Ron Rubin's holistic approach to winegrowing includes owl boxes for pest management, cover cops for nutrient rich soil, tilling weeds, drought tolerant insect friendly landscape, water use monitoring in soil with irrigation used in only extreme conditions, solar energy, etc.
Ron’s stewardship does not end in the vineyard and winery, he believes in giving back to the Sonoma County community through charities such as Food for Thought that supplies food and meals to those living with HIV/AIDS and other critical illnesses, School Garden Network that promotes healthy food choices and agricultural awareness in youth, and American Cancer Society’s Sebastopol Relay for Life, among others. Furthermore, the addition of the Ron Rubin Student Commons at Sonoma State University is designed to be an inspiring space for students and faculty as well as connect students from around the world studying to join the wine industry. In 2016, due to his innovative spirit, Ron Rubin was honored by North Bay Business Journal, when he received their 2016 Innovator of the Year Award.
California’s most praised white wine, Chardonnay is also the state’s most planted white grape variety. Diverse terrain and microclimates allow for an incredible range of wine styles.
Chardonnay planted in the cooler, coastal zones takes on bright characteristics like lemon zest, key lime, green apple and wet flint. For this style, look to the chilly Sonoma Coast, Carneros, Santa Cruz Mountains, Santa Lucia Highlands and Edna Valley.
The inland zones of California’s coast, such as the Russian River, Sonoma, Napa and Livermore Valleys maintain a more Goldilocks-esque climate where both styles go. Early picking retains acidity and creates a leaner style but leaving the grapes to hang creates an approachable Chardonnay, balancing richness and finesse.
Chardonnay also plays a major part in the sparkling wine production of the Anderson Valley and Carneros.