2015 Vintner Select Chardonnay

This wine is introduced by heady aromas of brioche, lilac, white cake, green melon, mint and subtle white pepper. On the palate, its bright acidity and clean, crisp fruit is counterbalanced by an unctuous yet airy mouthfeel. In contrast to our Napa Valley Chardonnay, it is fuller bodied while still exhibiting restraint and great varietal character.

Our Vintner Select Chardonnay is hand-harvested, gently pressed and settled for 24 hours, and then racked to French oak barrels, 25% new, for fermentation. Following a partial malolactic fermentation of approximately 30%, this wine was aged “sur lies” with weekly stirring for six months.

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Appellation: Sonoma County
Vintage: 2015
Harvest: September 2015
Fermentation: 25% New French Oak
75% Neutral French Oak
Cooperage: 25% New French Oak
75% Neutral French Oak
Blend: 100% Chardonnay
Alcohol: 14.4%
Bottling: June 2016
Production: 262 cases
Release Date: January 2017
Release Price: $52.00

Reviews

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  • Wine Spectator: June 15, 2017 - Rating: 91

    Bold and rich, offering an expansive core of green apple, pear and melon flavors, showing touches of dried her and anise. Pulls together on the finish, ending long and persistent. Drink now through 2020. -J.L.

  • Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wine: May 2017 - Rating: 90

    A decided cut above its cellarmate below in everything from its volume and fruity depth to its integral oaky richness, this fully ripe and impressively filled Chardonnay is a big, yet still slightly gawky working that for the moment fights against a bit of evident heat and youthful raggedness. That it may not be as polished as it could or will be with age in no way diminishes its very rich and potentially complex appeals, and, if certainly a wine that will be enjoyed with richer foods in the short term, it is one that warrants keeping and should be allowed a year or two in which to grow into its best.

  • Wine Enthusiast: September 2017 - Rating: 91

    Oaky toast and salty, firm acidity give this wine a flavor profile of lemon, apple and dried herb that's lengthy and full of complexity. Medium bodied, it finds balance between fruit flavors and a savory edge, remaining bright and rich on the palate.

  • The Wine Advocate: Issue 233, October 31st, 2017 - Rating: 91

    The 2015 Chardonnay Vintner's Select Mountaintop Vineyard has a delicate white peach, grapefruit and baking bread nose with hints of orange blossoms and marzipan. The medium-bodied palate offers a lovely satiny texture with understated, savory flavors and seamless freshness.