Winemaker Notes
Our very favorites from the Platinum library, these selections display a unique depth of flavor and aroma only achievable by aging some of the region's finest Chardonnays.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2014 Chardonnay Jewell Vineyard gives notes of white grapefruit, lemon zest and yuzu with touches of chalk dust, white pepper and lightly browned toast. Medium to full-bodied, it has a wonderful intensity of citrus flavors in the mouth with great tension and persistent mineral and toast notes on the finish.
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Wine Enthusiast
There's an exotic saltiness and briny ocean element to this memorable wine, grandly textured and integrated in terms of oak. Medium in weight, it finds balance between savory, spicy and salty tones and a crispness of Gravenstein apple.
Jim Nantz, famed CBS sports commentator, and Peter Deutsch, founder and CEO of Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits, have created a portfolio of classic Sonoma wines from some of the most respected vineyards in the region.
The Calling wines are now quality standards for the Sonoma region with more than fifty 90+ ratings since the first vintage in 2012. Each region and vineyard site were chosen carefully for the vines that were planted and the style of wine produced. These wines are a true testament to the greatness that is possible when you follow your calling in life.
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.