Winemaker Notes
The 2018 Russian River Valley Chardonnay is an exciting addition to our line- up. We’re excited to feature some of our best Chardonnay vineyards in this bot- tling. It has more power than our Sonoma Coast but similar texture and balance. Fragrant notes of white flower jump out of the glass while hints of pear and peach bounce on the palate. The wine’s richness is moderated by its texture and smooth finish. Lemon zest and minerality complement the finish.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
The appellation 2018 Chardonnay Russian River Valley comes from a mix of the single vineyards and averages around 10-15% new French oak. A terrific expression of the appellation, this ripe, full-bodied, fruit-loaded effort that has lots of honeyed peach and mandarin orange-like fruits, notes of spice and toasted bread, good acidity, and a great finish. This beauty brings the fruit yet stays balanced and has rocking purity of fruit.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2018 Chardonnay Russian River Valley has a nose of Bosc pear, baker's yeast, white flowers and stone. The light-bodied palate is delicate and fresh with soft floral notes on the finish. 300 cases were made.
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.