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Named after Joe Donelan’s mother, the Nancie Chardonnay is our take on cool-climate, timeless Chardonnay. We love the way Nancie captures the classic qualities of Chardonnay while also exhibiting the unique traits of the unusual sites we source from. This Chardonnay is an emphasis on Old Vines, dry farming, and California heritage clones and selections. Every vintage embodies elegance and class, but no vintage is the same. The assemblage changes every year, so Nancie does not have a recipe. This wine lets us sit shotgun while the cool climate and the terroir do all the navigating, and they never steer us wrong. It is truly an inimitable wine made from a blend of incredible fruit we farm throughout Sonoma County, from the Coast to the Sonoma/Napa border.

On the nose, the Nancie Chardonnay opens with nutmeg, ginger snap, and chai spice leading to high-tone fruit like red apple skin, orange blossom, orchard fruit, and green pineapple. Judicious acidity makes this a great candidate for pairing with food. It’s very fresh on the palate, engaging, and invigorating, and it has quite a finish for Chardonnay. This is a stand-out wine among its peers, with one foot in California, and one foot in the old world.

Nutmeg, ginger snap, chai spice, orange blossom, and red apple skin on the nose. Salinity, minerality, and wonderful acidity on the palate.

Review:

"Named after proprietor Joe Donelan’s mother, the Nancie Chardonnay is crafted from a blend of exceptional vineyard sites across Sonoma. Key sources include Farina Vineyard on Sonoma Mountain, the 45-year-old vines at Lazy W Ranch in the Russian River Valley, along with fruit from Allen Family Ranch and Dehlinger–Garbro Ranch. Winemaker David Milner notes that sites offering mineral tension and naturally high acidity are essential to shaping the blend. The wine is aged for 10 months in 24% new oak. In 2023, the aromatics are superb, with a freshness factor that feels almost unparalleled. Citrus notes and hints of underripe pineapple mingle with ginger spice, flinty minerality and a distinct sea-salt character. Medium-bodied and beautifully precise, the palate is driven by crystalline acidity and candied citrus peel fruit dusted with saline nuance. Citrus, orchard and stone fruit notes build toward an incredibly long, lingering finish, touched by subtle toffee spice. Distinctly saline, complex and expressive, this is a Chardonnay of clarity, energy and sheer deliciousness. - Jonathan CRISTALDI"

Decanter, 96 points

Argot Simpatico Ranch Chardonnay is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.

Powerful aromas of key-lime, white flowers, orange blossoms and a fierce, flinty, sauvage note define a wildly complex nose. Once in the mouth, gracefully pronounced textures coat the palate delivering an exotic interpretation of cool-climate Chardonnay character — lime peel, orange blossom, ginger and clove —lingerings deep into a vibrant finish.

Planted 1978. Shallow volcanic soils on the gently-sloped, south-facing foothills of Bennett Peak on Bennett Valley’s floor. One of California’s coolest Chardonnay vineyards. In the final year of 3-year draught cycle, Simpatico Ranch saw its earliest ever harvest and smallest crop, exposing a reserve of exoticism and minerality previously untapped. A watershed vintage for both the vineyard, and appellation. Night harvested by hand on 9/16, whole-cluster pressed direct to barrel; no settling to ensure maximum lees contact. Barrel fermented on heavy lees. Malolactic fermentation. 16 months in French oak, 50% new. Finished 2 months in steel tank, low Sulphur during barrel elevage.

Review:

The 2021 Chardonnay Simpatico Ranch needs a lot of swirling before it shoots from the glass with notes of lemon tart, orange blossoms, candied ginger, and fresh nectarines with hints of crushed rocks, struck flint, and nutmeg. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers amazing tension, with tight-knit citrus and spice layers and a fantastically well woven satiny texture, finishing long and layered. "We only get about 1.5 tons per acre here," said owner/winemaker Justin Harmon. "This comes from old vines on AXR rootstock."

-Wine Independent 97 Points

2021 Rossj-Bass displays the main features of the vintage well, with intense fruit concentration and floral notes. The nose shows ripe citrus notes of lemon peel and orange evolving into tropical fruits. The richness of the nose and the same notes are reflected on the palate, where remarkable acidity balances the fruit concentration. The wine is rich, full-bodied and creamy, with a long finish.

Review:

The 2021 Gaja Rossj-Bass starts off with very, crisp, green fruit and much more Sauvignon Blanc dominant aromas of grassy, bright, fragrant green apple and green pepper - all very bright and cheerful. Then Chardonnay seems to take over in the medium-full bodied and pleasing creamy texture of the wine. This is balanced again by the tangy, juicy acidity of Sauvignon. This is very elegant blend of Sauvignon Blanc aromas and zestiness and the textural comfort of Chardonnay. The name Rossj is a nickname of Angelo Gaja’s second daughter, Rossanna.

-Wine Independent 94 Points

2018 Hartford Family Winery Hartford Court Sevens Bench Vineyard Chardonnay is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.

True to its Carneros roots, the 2021 Sevens Bench Chardonnay carries the hallmark of the region – fruit intensity balanced by good acidity. The aromas are driven by classic lemon drop, Meyer lemon, and lemongrass. That fruit style follows in the flavors, with the citrus focus carrying through with candied lemon drop balanced by the mineral and flint characteristics inherent to the region and the clonal selections. Barrel fermentation notes in the background add even more complexity to this elegant wine.

Review:

 "A more opulent style with a richer golden hue, the 2021 Chardonnay Sevens Bench Vineyard takes on more tropical ripe fruits in its notes of golden pineapple, baking spice, and orange zest. Full-bodied, with a rich yet clean, viscous texture, ripe peach, honeysuckle, and citrus oil, it's long on the palate and has nice balance. Drink it now or over the next 6-8 years. —Audrey Frick, jebdunnuck.com, July 2023 94 Points

Jonive Chardonnay Russian River Valley is made from 100 percent Chardonnay. 

2021 Jonive Russian River Estate Chardonnay: Harvested the night of September 20^th with the two clones kept separate. The clone 95 was pressed into tank where it was chilled, settled and racked, then allowed to ferment naturally for 12 days when it then went to barrel. The primary and secondary fermentations lasted in barrel until April 20^th, some seven months. The wine remained on its original lees until just prior to bottling. The clone 17/Robert Young chardonnay was pressed into tank and allowed to brown naturally before a natural fermentation occurred. This lasted for 15 days before going to barrel where it finished the last 12 days of primary fermentation and six weeks of secondary fermentation and it too rested on its original lees until just prior to bottling.

The wine has a typical straw color and complex aromas of lemongrass, nutmeg, Meyer lemon and a touch of passionfruit. It has an enveloping mouthfeel that is at once tart and linear as well as rich and expansive, a very unusual and beguiling combination of textures and mouthfeel. The browning of the clone 17 enables the wine to be rich, but at a lower alcohol (13.3%) and the clone 95 contributes beautifully fresh acidity. The pallet shows jasmine, honeydew melon, tarragon and lemongrass with a nice kiss of high-quality French oak. The extended lees contact gives the wine amazing length, energy and vitality.

353 cases produced

Harvested September 20^th

14-month barrel aging in 67% new French oak barrels, 20% once used and 13% neutral

61% clone 17/Robert Young and 39% clone 95

13.3% alcohol

Bottled December 14^th

Reviews:

A wildly elegant aromatic profile announces this Chardonnay from Jonive's estate vineyards, a combination of two separately fermented clones, 95 and clone 17, also known as Robert Young. The blend is beautiful and effusively aromatic. Lemon cream and white flowers mark the aromatic profile, and the palate, crafted with plenty of lees contact, shows a creamy texture of lemon and orange oils. Savoury notes of sorrel and lemongrass mark the lengthy finish. The new French oak kisses this wine just a touch with a note of Madagascar vanilla on the finish.

-Decanter 94 Points

This seamless, smooth and mouthfilling wine is packed with ripe fruit flavors and deftly accented with oak notes like vanilla, hazelnut and toast. It's rich in texture yet relatively light in body, encouraging flavors that mingle with a subtlety that asks for more sipping.

-Wine Enthusiast 94 Points

Lismore Chardonnay Reserve made from 100 percent Chardonnay.

A careful selection of the best of the vintage that exemplifies the extraordinary terroir of Lismore. This Reserve Chardonnay shows intense citrus, stone fruit, jasmine and walnut layered with honey and vanilla carried by a distinct minerality and crisp acidity with a lingering citrus finish.

Wine Made in the Soil

The vineyards are planted in decomposed shale over clay at 300 meters in the foothills of the Sonderend Mountain Range. A low mean February temperature lends to an extended ripening period that can put harvest 3-4 weeks later than traditional wine growing regions in South Africa. The intense citrus notes and the lingering finish are consistent trademarks of Lismore's specific terroir. The restrained minerality of the Chardonnay is a clear indication of the cool climate in which it is grown.

Wine of Origin "Greyton" has been designated by SAWIS recognizing the special terroir of this region.

Delightful with warm curries which lift the aromatics or a traditional pairing of smoked salmon highlighting the fresh acidity.

Review:

100% Chardonnay matured in Burgundian oak (33% new) for 11 months. This Reserve Chardonnay shows intense citrus, stone fruit, jasmine and walnut layered with honey and vanilla carried by a distinct minerality and crisp acidity with a lingering citrus finish.

-Karen McNeil 95 points

"The 2021 Chardonnay Estate Reserve is 100% from Greyton matured for 11 months in 500-litre barrels, 40% new. It has a wonderful bouquet with honeydew melon, apricot blossom and light crushed stone scents that percolate through with time. The palate is very well balanced with tropical hints of passion fruit and guava, but the acidity keeps everything on a tight course, very minerally on the finish. Top class.- Neal Martin"

- Antonio Galloni's Vinous (September 2022), 94 pts

Bright and glossy ruby red in color. On the nose it reveals aromas of small fresh berries and a trace of sour cherry, melded with hints of blackberries and black cherries, followed by a hint of vanilla. A fragrant wine with satisfying intensity. On the palate it is warm, smooth and a medium-bodied with finely-balanced tannins. Dry and sinewy yet fresh with a persistent, aromatic finish.

It naturally accompanies dishes that are typical of Tuscan cuisine with its bold, authentic flavors, such as pasta and risottos made with mushrooms or truffles, pork, grilled meats and medium-matured cheeses.

 Review:

Notes of ripe cherries, dried flowers and walnuts with hints of anisette and licorice. Medium- to full-bodied, compact and dense with creamy tannins and steady acidity. Weighty and structured. Drink or hold.

-James Suckling 91 Points

100% Chardonnay aged 14 months in 30% new French oak.

Review:

“Stone fruits, buttered citrus, white flowers, and a subtle hint of green almonds all emerge from the 2021 Chardonnay Buena Tierra Vineyard, a medium to full-bodied, ripe, yet elegant Chardonnay. I love its overall balance, and it brings an impressive mix of richness and elegance.”

Jeb Dunnuck, 96 points

Shibumi Knoll Chardonnay Corazon del Rio is made from 100% Chardonnay aged 14 months in 20% new French oak.

Review:

“The 2021 Chardonnay Corazon Del Rio Vineyard is another brilliant Chardonnay (these are all made by Thomas Rivers Brown) from the Russian River Valley. Bright citrus, honeyed flowers, and subtle toasty oak notes define the aromatics, and it's medium-bodied, has a fresh, focused mouthfeel, terrific balance, and a great finish. I'd be thrilled with bottles in the cellar.”

-Jeb Dunnuck, 95 points

Ancien Chardonnay Carneros is made from 100 percent Chardonnay. 

Chardonnay Carneros owes its style, depth, and structure to intensely flavored, low yielding, heirloom clones growing in two Carneros vineyards: on the Napa side, the Toyon Farm and on the Sonoma side, the Sangiacomo Vella Ranch. Ancien Wines hand-selected the cuttings themselves, from older vineyards in the Carneros area. These cuttings are reputed to have origins tracing to Paul Masson who imported them from Burgundy in the early 1940’s, from Louis Latour's renowned Corton Charlemagne vineyard. These selections are often referred to as “Old Wente”or “Robert Young,”denoting the sourced mother blocks in the 1960s.

Notes of ripe apple and honeydew melon greet and are delicately perfumed by notes of freesia and citrus blossom. Brighter notes of lime and Meyer lemon match the refreshing acidity of this wine, balanced by a creamy palate and leading to a finish that will continue to lengthen in the coming months. A wonderfully textured and vibrant Chardonnay displaying the best of Carneros.

Chardonnay Carneros is guided toward a layered, complex, and expressive style that develops gracefully in the bottle and shows enticing minerality, vivacious fruit, length and structure. The watchword is balance. Grapes were pressed as whole clusters, settled and fermented entirely in French oak from four different coopers, chosen for their unique synergism and support of the fruit on the palate. One third of the barrels were new. A variety of yeasts were used, including native strains, and fermentation proceeded evenly and slowly, averaging a cool 55°F. The wine was aged on its yeast lees, which were stirred weekly through the spring.

Boussey Bourgogne Blanc Chardonnay Vieilles Vignes is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.

The grapes for Bourgogne Blanc Chardonnay Vieilles Vignes are grown on a parcel located within the city of Meursault. 

The wine displays a refreshing nose of lime, citrus fruits, flint, honey and a touch of dried fruit. The palate is full of flavors, with honeysuckle, citrus and some salinity with an excellent balance between acidity and roundness. 

Pair with cheese, seafood, nems, Spanish tapas and apple tart.

Bydand Chardonnay Sonoma Coast is made from 100% Chardonnay

Ferren Chardonnay Sonoma Coast is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.

 The Sonoma Coast bottling is a blend of barrels from Ferren's single vineyard offerings; Lancel Creek, Silver Eagle, Volpert, and Frei Road Vineyards. The wine is always somewhat more approachable early in its life as less new oak is used in the blend. Pure and translucent fruit is the hallmark of this cuvée. Citrus, quince, sea spray, and minerals are buoyed by refreshing acidity and a seamless finish.

Review:

"Love the salted butter, sliced cooked apple and oyster shell character. Hints of uncooked pie crust. Medium- to full-bodied. So much subtle and intense flavor with some nuttiness. Drink now or hold.”
- - James Suckling (February 17th 2024), 97 pts

 Flanagan Russian River Chardonnay is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.

Grapes for this wine are sourced from several top Russian River Chardonnay sites including Platt Vineyard, Ritchie Vineyard and Bacigalupi Vineyard.

A typical day in Russian River begins with cool fog that fades by mid-morning as the warm sun transforms the vineyard into a warm, welcoming place buzzing with bees. In the late afternoon the ocean air sweeps in from the west cooling the vineyard down. Soils of clay and volcanic rock, carved into rolling hills by the Russian River, are the bass line to the melody played by the sun, wind and fog.

Flanagan Chardonnay RRV has an expressive nose that is typical of the Wente Clone of Chardonnay. The palate has an elegant mélange of stone fruit and ripe citrus flavors supported by understated barrel notes. The key to the wine is the bright acidity that ties everything together. This is a great example of what top Russian River Chardonnay sites can produce when wine making is focused on balance.

Harney Lane Chardonnay Home Ranch is made from 100 percent Chardonnay. 

Fruit aromas of baked apple, ripe pear and pineapple are highlighted with pleasant notes of butterscotch, roasted nuts, honey and vanilla cream.

Sub-appellation : Mokelumne River
T.A. : 5.4g/L
pH : 3.71
R.S. : 0.3%

Pairs with , brown Butter Lobster, roasted Butternut Squash Pasta, creamy Risotto. Brie & Caramelized Onion Pizza

Hoopes Chardonnay Napa Valley is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.

Serendipity was in the morning air when Maya and Sophie took Lindsay for a walk down a Yountville country lane. Maya, the feisty one, spied a jackrabbit and bounded off in hot pursuit. When Lindsay caught up with her, she found herself surrounded by some fine looking Chardonnay vines. Always on the look-out for the best fruit for Hoopla, with some neighborhood super-sleuthing, Lindsay tracked down the vineyard owner and kept talking until she got his handshake. That chance discovery gave us really great Chardonnay that we offer at a really great price. In fact, chasing rabbits is exactly what we’re talking about. This cheeky Chardonnay will make you want to get into some mischief too.

Our goal with the Hoopla Chardonnay is a fresh juicy wine showcasing flavors and aromas of the grape. A long cool fermentation and aging in stainless steel shines helps preserve the luscious aromas and fruit characters in the wine. Classic notes of fresh pineapple, ripe pear and Fuji apple greet the nose with a lovely warmth and creaminess in the mouth from aging sur-lie in tank without the introduction of oak. This mid-palate breadth yields to an open, clean and refreshing finish. We find ourselves reaching for this crowd-pleasing wine time and time again without fail.

This wine is delicious with roast chicken and buttery mashed potatoes, fish tacos, Chinese chicken salad, lobster mac and cheese, triple crème Brie slathered on French baguette and salt & pepper flavored kettle-cooked potato chips.

Kershaw Chardonnay Deconstructed Lake District Cartref CY96 is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.

Sourced from the western part of Elgin, known as the Lake District, this clone produces wines that are nervous, aromatic, elegant and sharp with slightly lower alcohol and finely balanced, the fruit profile being subtle with hints of citrus/orange peel and peach blossom and with time, some nutty elements. The Cartref soils, a mixture of decomposed granite, pebbles and quartz, adds delicacy and heightens the fruit intensity.

The inspiration for my Deconstructed Chardonnay stems from my belief that the Elgin region boasts credentials that make it world-class. To bolster these regional credentials, I have set out to prove that Elgin has both a signature grape, as well as specific ‘terroirs' (meso-climates) that reflect intra-regional distinctions. To fully comprehend this, it is necessary to dig deeper into the DNA that make up our region. To elucidate this, I have decided to make these 3 Chardonnay wines, each selected from a specific vineyard and an individual clone. Importantly, this is an ongoing story that will unfold over the coming years.

Lismore Chardonnay made from 100 percent Chardonnay.

This very special Chardonnay was made in the style of a traditional Burgundian Chablis. It shows intense citrus and soft fruit layered with brioche, honey and walnut carried by a distinct minerality and crisp acidity with a lingering citrus finish.

Wine Made in the Soil

The vineyards are planted in decomposed shale over clay at 300 meters in the foothills of the Sonderend Mountain Range. A low mean February temperature lends to an extended ripening period that can put harvest 3-4 weeks later than traditional wine growing regions in South Africa. The intense citrus notes and the lingering finish are consistent trademarks of Lismore's specific terroir. The restrained minerality of the Chardonnay is a clear indication of the cool climate in which it is grown.

Wine of Origin "Greyton" has been designated by SAWIS recognizing the special terrior of this region.

Delightful with warm curries which lift the aromatics or a traditional pairing of smoked salmon highlighting the fresh acidity.

Morande Black Series Chardonnay is made from 100 percent Chardonnay. 

Malleco represents the exploration of one of the most extreme valleys in Chile for wine production. A new wine frontier, an ideal terroir to produce high-end Chardonnay in Chile, with a different style from other outstanding origins such as Limarí –which offers wines with marked minerality– or Aconcagua Costa –which delivers sharp acidity and great power. The Traiguen area in the Malleco valley produces wines of great tension and fruity austerity, as well as complexity, balance and finesse. A very typical style of Chardonnay marked by elegance, verticality on the palate and subtlety on the nose and mouth.

The wine offers a bright pale yellow color, intense and elegant aromas of citrus fruits and green apples as well as hints of nuts, such as hazelnuts and roasted chestnuts. A tense and fresh acidity on the palate, and a vertical structure in the mouth. Very fine and complex, its long persistence highlights the austere character of its fruit and a delicate minerality.

Shellfish and fish of intense flavor, such as smoked salmon, swordfish, giant perch, and white meats, poultry.

Review:

"Fresh and pure on the nose with green fruits and lots of star fruit, a hint of flint and a slight creamy edge. Subtle and bright with a tense mid-palate that creates a creamy but fresh mouthfeel. Medium- to full-bodied and long. Drink now."

- James Suckling (February 2023), 94 pts

Paul Hobbs Chardonnay Russian River Valley is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.

Crafted with precision from six pedigreed sites comes a wine that beams with pale straw hue. The newest vintage brings wonderful aromatic intensity: candied lemon peel, white florals followed by crisp green apple. A creamy and viscous texture on the palate is buoyed by white nectarine and dried apricot that’s balanced with a vibrant acidity, bringing focus to the wine’s finish that lingers with hints of flinty mineral notes.

Review:

-Wine Enthusiast 95 Points

Siegel San Elias Chardonnay is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.

This Chardonnay has a light yellow color with green highlights. The nose shows fresh and intense tropical fruit aromas of pineapple, citrus, herbs and a touch of honey. On the palate it is lush, smooth and well-balanced with good acidity and lovely tropical fruit flavors.