Winemaker Notes
The nose opens up with creamy ripe peach and pineapple with a hint of brioche. The fruit intensifies on mouth adding apricot and a touch of citrus. In the background is sweet toasty oak that serves to support the fruit, and the crisp acidity finishes out with some mineral at the very end.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2015 Carneros Chardonnay has notes of lemon pie, pink grapefruit and green mango with touches of honeyed toast and allspice. Medium-bodied, the palate is understated and savory, with a good amount of citrus fruit and spice notes, finishing long and lively.
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Wine Enthusiast
This new offering from the sparkling wine producer reveals strongly crafted layers of creamy apple pie, crème brûlée and toasty oak flavors. Made in a full-bodied, concentrated style, it doesn't hold back on its spicy acidity and lemony 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.
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.