Winemaker Notes
Aromatic and lively on the nose, the Unoaked Chardonnay represents Chardonnay in its purest form. Notes of pear, quince, and jasmine flowers jump from the glass. With a little aeration in the glass, hints of yellow apple and star fruit are discernible. Due to the extended aging on the lees and periodic stirring, the palate is rich and layered. The hint of jasmine flowers on the finish adds a complex and spicy quality that offers a wonderful closure to the palate. Fresh and vivacious, the wine offers many food pairing options from light appetizers to richer shellfish dishes.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
This wine is a breath of fresh air. Lively citrus aromas pair with juicy pineapple, chalky minerality and jasmine on the nose, while the palate gives fresh nectarine and lemon-lime acidity through the exceptionally long finish.
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2022 Chardonnay Unoaked is sourced solely from old vines and does not go through malolactic fermentation to preserve a fresh, crisp style. It pours a bright straw/green-tinged hue and offers pithy aromas of lime zest, green pear, chive, and a hint of pilsner. Medium-bodied, it has a cleansing texture, with a charming, elegant feel and mouthwatering freshness, but also floral notes on the finish.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
This 2022 Unoaked Chardonnay has an exotic edge that lures you back to the glass for another refreshing sip. It has layered, inviting scents of lemongrass, yellow apple, lime peel, flint, cashew and beeswax. The palate offers concentrated, gently honeyed flavors and an alluring textural grip drives a surprisingly long finish.
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.