Winemaker Notes
40 percent of this wine finished malolactic fermentation, which helped round out if naturally tart acidity, while maintaining the tropical flavors reminiscent of coastal Chardonnays. The aroma profile consists of lemon zest, pippin apple and honeydes, with just a hint of pie crust. The flavors follow suit, expressing Asian pear and melon fruit, finished with Meyer lemon and pineapple tanginess.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Sparkling richness stars in this concentrated, ultimately balanced wine, which offers a warming note of pear compote and peach within subtle waves of toasted oak. The lushly cradled fruit is awash in anise and fennel.
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.