Winemaker Notes
Try pairing this wine with simple braised chicken thighs with Meyer lemons and olives, whole grilled fish, and Cowgirl Creamery Mt. Tam or Cabot Clothbound Cheddar cheeses.
Professional Ratings
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
An enticing effort, the 2014 Saintsbury Chardonnay is one of the winery's best efforts to date. At first glance, this wine appears subtle and sly. The wine's aromas and flavors begin slowly before erupting with the skin of a peach, ripe apples, and sweet earth. I am happy that this Carneros stalwart continues to flourish after more than three decades. (Tasted: June 26, 2017, San Francisco, CA)
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James Suckling
Sliced green apple and Brazilian lime character here. Full body, fruity and flavorful. A nice acid backbone to this. Screw cap. Drink now.
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Wine Enthusiast
Dark in color, this accessible wine is deliciously layered and focused, offering a core of golden pear, Gravenstein apple and nutmeg, with a bright laser beam of acidity.
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.