Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Subtle fruit and baking spice aromas lead to expansive peach, pear and fig flavors riding on a wave of fresh, crisp acidity that keeps this lively through the finish, even though the texture is quite lush and creamy. The wine is almost a meal in itself, but will make a grand pairing with rich seafood dishes or even a cheese course.
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Wine Spectator
An initial burst of ripe, juicy green apple, pear and honeydew melon tilts toward elegance and restraint, never losing a zesty fruit vitality. Ends with subtle vanilla and citrus notes. Drink now through 2020.
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.