Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2015 Chardonnay Olivet Lane Vineyard displays aromas of white peaches, pink grapefruit, pineapple and candied ginger with hints of cashews and meal. Medium to full-bodied with a rich, opulent, creamy texture and packed with voluptuous tropical and layers of spice, it has a racy backbone and very long finish. Rating: 94(+) Points.
-
Wine Enthusiast
Tropical stone fruit and wild honey rise from the nose of this exquisite white wine, from a spot smack in the middle of the appellation. High-toned citrus lifts the acidity to refreshing, supporting levels, a mix of Meyer lemon and limestone-like stoniness. A lean, lithe underbelly underlies a heart of apple pie and baked pineapple.
-
Connoisseurs' Guide
A light, well-tailored touch of sweet oak affords a bit of crème-brûlée richness to this polished wine’s pure and precise aromas of fresh-apple fruit and similarly affords quiet support in the rich, yet racy flavors that follow. While moderately full-bodied, the wine is fairly spry and very light on its feet with lots of fruity acidity keeping it buoyant and bright from start to finish, and its fine sense of energy will stand it in good stead for several years.
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.