Winemaker Notes
Meyer lemon and yellow apple notes, along with hints of nutmeg and wood spices, highlight the nose. Round and rich in the mouth, there is a mid-palate perfume of fruit and hints fresh herbs emerge after a few sips. Underneath the richness lies a subtle tannic structure that offers a little grip which carries through to the finish. The Drake Estate is a classic cool climate Chardonnay.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2019 Chardonnay Drake Estate Vineyard, aged in about 20% new, water-bent Taransaud barrels, offers layered aromas of Meyer lemon, quince, cashews, spring butter and honey. Savory layers fan across the medium-bodied palate, and fresh bursts of acidity highlight its creamy, nutty nuances. It has a satiny texture and a long, juicy finish that keeps you coming back for more.
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Wine Enthusiast
Showing aroms of brine and flowers, this nicely balanced wine is elegant yet soft on palate. Apple and Meyer lemon flavors mingle around hints of baking spices, with crisp acidity lending vibrant lift.
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.