Winemaker Notes
Aromas of white peach, oak moss and lily of the valley lead to flavors of meyer lemon, dried coconut and candle wax. The finish is oily and energetic with mouthwatering acidity. Try this wine with prawns and white beans or risotto with ramps and peas.
Professional Ratings
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Tasting Panel
This lovely, linear expression is named for Talley's mother, who is turning 84 this year. Following an unforgettable nose of pear tart, its extended, lean, and clean palate features notes of lime and shale.
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James Suckling
A generous, plush, delicious wine with ample baked-fruit flavors and spicy vanilla bean accents. Medium-bodied with energizing acidity and a lingering finish. Estate grown on the Talley family’s original vineyard site.
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Wine Enthusiast
Sea-salt-dusted lemon and nectarine aromas meet with fresh herbs on the very complex nose of this bottling. There is a very firm tension to the palate, where vibrant flavors of citrus and tightly wound stone fruit are wrapped in a chalky grip.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Aged for 14 months in 30% new French oak, the 2022 Chardonnay Rosemary's Vineyard splits the difference between a fresh, vibrant frame and toasty, punchy richness. The nose is reminiscent of a classic California Chardonnay, albeit with notably more verve and zest. The palate is powerful, yellow-fruited and creamy, leading to a finish that combines butterscotch-laden power with saline, stony refreshment.
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Wine Spectator
There's intensity to this white's juicy lime, apple and lemon meringue flavors, which are lip-smacking in their juiciness. Notes of preserved lemon and mango linger alongside a hint of salted butter shortbread. Drink now. 559 cases 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.
One of the coolest growing areas in California, the Arroyo Grande Valley runs from the southwest to the northeast, just a few miles from the Pacific Ocean and is part of the Central Coast AVA. Situated so that cold Pacific Ocean air and fog is allowed to filter into the valley, Arroyo Grande also has an incredibly long growing season. Bud break occurs in February in most years with flowering in May and harvest in late September; the area is classified as cool Mediterranean.
These weather factors combined with the soil types—continental and marine rocks, greywacke, limestone, shale and volcanic—create wines with great concentration and fresh acidity. The cooler end of the valley is perfect for Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and is a good producer of sparkling wines. The warmer, more inland part of the valley is home to some of California’s oldest Zinfandel vines.