Winemaker Notes
Spiced apple, grilled peach and vanilla currently pop on the nose, with hints of buttered popcorn and citrus blossom. Corn on the cob and toasted hazelnut flavors lead the entrance, before it brings out flavors that match the earlier nose. Deeply concentrated on the mid-palate, turning rich and elegant, this wine lingers on and on. For all that, though, it’s clean and pure and the balance is flawless. Destined to please Chardonnay fans and make new friends along the way. Decant for an extra reward.
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.