" We don't sell the wine without touching the vine "
Flanagan Russian River Chardonnay 2023
Our Price: $65.00 $55.00
6 bottles with free shipping for: $330.00
12 bottles with free shipping for: $600.00
6 bottles with free shipping for: $330.00
12 bottles with free shipping for: $600.00
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| Country: | United States |
| Region: | California |
| Winery: | Flanagan Winery |
| Grape Type: | Chardonnay |
| Organic: | Yes |
| Vintage: | 2023 |
| Bottle Size: | 750 ml |
Product Description
Flanagan Russian River Chardonnay 2023 is made from 100% Chardonnay.
Drawn from top Russian River Valley sites — including the Platt, Ritchie and Bacigalupi vineyards — this Chardonnay is barrel-fermented and aged roughly eleven months in French oak. The result is a layered, balanced white with orchard fruit, citrus and a long, mineral-edged finish.
Winery Info: Flanagan Family Winery was founded by Eric Flanagan in 1999 on Bennett Mountain, adding a Russian River Valley site in 2011. The winery focuses on small-production, single-region Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from Sonoma County's finest vineyards.
Winery: Flanagan Winery
Flanagan Winery:
Eric Flanagan is the founder and visionary behind the Flanagan wines and Flanagan brand.
Our journey into wine began with a love of wine and an appreciation of the places that create unique wines. In the early 1990’s, wine quality exploded higher in Sonoma and Napa. It was an exciting time to be a consumer of wines from Northern California and a great time to come and meet the vintners who were responsible for these inspiring new wines. We began in 1999 with the purchase of forty acres in Bennett Valley. In 2011, we acquired a small Russian River Valley vineyard, and, starting with the 2014 vintage, we have added vineyard designated wines from top vineyards in the Russian River Valley and the Sonoma Coast. Vineyard sources now include Ritchie Vineyard and Bacigalupi Vineyard for Chardonnay, and Sunchase and Sonoma Stage for Pinot Noir. In 2015, we will also add the iconic Platt Vineyard as a source for both Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. We believe that Platt may be the best vineyard in California for those varieties.
Sustainability at Flanagan:
There are a few marketing buzzwords that are prevelant in the wine industry right now that can be very confusing to the consumer. Terms like organic, biodynamic, sustainable... What exactly do those terms mean? To us, it's very simple. Sustainabliltiy means we farm our vineyards with long term mindset. We do everything we can to ensure that this land will be as healthy, or healthier than it was when we found it. We are in the process of having our vineyards certified as sustainable by the California Sustainable Winegrowers Alliance "CSWA".
Sonoma County is making a huge push to be the first farm community to be 100% certified sustainable. The CSWA program has 138 catagories for vineyard owners to self assess and then they support the process with an outside auditor. Sonoma County has hired a full time sustainablility coordinator and is making great progress towards our goal of have all of the vineyards in Sonoma County farmed sustainably.
Date Founded: 2005
Owner: Eric Flanagan
Winery Philosophy: We strive to make wine from what we feel are the very best, most distinctive vineyard sources in Sonoma County. We are specifically committed to only introduce wines from sites we believe in wholeheartedly.
Proprietor Eric Flanagan:
Eric came to the wine business from a love of wine. His family did not own a winery or a vineyard, and Eric did not grow up on a farm. Through his travels Eric became fascinated by how grapes of the same variety expressed themselves in different places. From New Zealand to Greece, Eric visited wine growing regions around the world, but in the late 90's he chose to create his vision in Sonoma. He started in 1999 with the purchase of 40 acres on the side of Bennett Mountain and expanded in 2011 with the purchase of their Russian River Valley site. Flanagan is now producing wines from several of the top vineyards in Sonoma County under their vineyard designate program. Flanagan is becoming known for making great wines from the best vineyards in Sonoma County.
Eric, Kit, and their 3 daughters (Riley, Lola, and Ruby) make their home at the Three Starrs Vineyard along with 3 dogs, 10 ducks, 4 Dwarf Nigerian goats, 2 geese, 1 donkey, and 1 mule (also named Ruby).
Winemaker Cabell Coursey:
Cabell joined Flanagan Vineyards as Winemaker in 2014. His obsession with winemaking began with a harvest in Burgundy while he was enjoying an undergraduate semester abroad. After finishing his B.S., Cabell spent a few vintages picking grapes and scrubbing floors in Burgundy, and then moved up to Oregon’s Willamette Valley. Following his time in Oregon, Cabell traveled to Christchurch, New Zealand, where earned degrees in Enology and Viticulture from Lincoln University. During his time in New Zealand Cabell focused on cool climate viticulture, which serves him very well in his current role at Flanagan. Cabell has also held winemaking positions at Alder Springs Vineyard, Dumol, and Kosta Browne.
Cabell’s approach to winemaking is to use his senses in conjunction with his knowledge in biology, chemistry, and farming.
Cabell describes his philosophy:
“Winemaking is the culmination of a vast number of decisions. Starting with the site, the farming practice, the response to weather conditions, the picking date, the tank and barrel programs, ferment protocols, and continuing through blending and bottling. It is the daily decisions, actions, and sometimes lack of action that unlocks a vineyard’s highest potential. This quest to reveal each vineyards unique personality, while dealing with the challenges inherent in farming, is what makes winemaking challenging, interesting, and highly rewarding. My goal is always the same, to deliver each vineyard’s best expression in each vintage and to make a wine where the last glass is better than the first.”
Winery/Vineyards
Winery Acreage: 69 acres
Winery Production: 4,300 / 9L cases
Winemaker: Cabell Coursey
The vineyards represents 69 acres in total:
Graves vineyards is 13 acres, planted with Syrah (6 acres), Cabernet Sauvignon (4 acres) and Merlot (3 acres).
Platt vineyards is 34 acres, planted with Chardonnay (13 acres) and Pinot Noir (18 acres) and Riesling (1.4 acres)
and Gaps View is 22 acres, all planted with Pinot Noir.
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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.
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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.
Just south of the winery, Bacigalupi Vineyard straddles Westside Road in the upper reach of Russian River Valley. The 125 acre vineyard encompasses a range of terroir, from heavier valley floor soil along the Russian River to alluvial clay loam on the rolling hillsides. The fruit is sourced from a superb block of 25 year-old Wente Clone vines located on the western slope of the site. Bacigalupi was the source of the Chateau Montelena Chardonnay that, famously, beat the French wines at the "Judgement of Paris" in 1976.
Bacigalupi Chardonnay has a nose of lemon zest and vanilla bean. The palate opens with red pear and Meyer lemon, and brioche toast and honey comb notes on the finish. Like well-made Chardonnay from great vineyards around the world this wine benefits from getting some air, will age for years, and is best when served chilled around 50 degrees. This wine will evolve in the bottle for many years to come. A terrific wine from one of Sonoma County's top sites for Chardonnay.
Review:
Precise and focused aromas of lemon peel, flint, grapefruit pith, fresh pineapple and milled oats. The palate is tense, with a rounded, mid-weight mouthfeel and energetic acidity. A lovely wine made from a prestigious vineyard that captures freshness and minerality in the cool 2023 vintage. Drink or hold.
-James Suckling 94 Points
Flanagan Chardonnay Bacigalupi 2024 is made from 100% Chardonnay.
This wine is sourced from the legendary Bacigalupi Vineyard in the Russian River Valley — the site that grew the Chardonnay fruit for the 1973 Chateau Montelena that famously bested white Burgundy at the 1976 Judgment of Paris. Barrel-fermented and aged in French oak, it is a rich yet vibrant Chardonnay with the depth and cut that made this vineyard a California landmark.
Winery Info: Flanagan Family Winery was founded by Eric Flanagan in 1999, farming estate vineyards on Bennett Mountain in Sonoma and sourcing from a handful of the Russian River Valley's most coveted sites. The winery specializes in small-lot, terroir-driven Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
Review:
An incredibly rich, indulgent wine that oozes butterscotch, poached pear and caramel flavors on a full-bodied palate. It's super in terms of ripeness, plushness and pastry shop flavors, offering brown butter, vanilla bean, croissant and toasted almond notes. Drink now.
-James Suckling 94 Points
Cattail Creek Chardonnay Russian River Valley is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
From the heart of Sonoma's Russian River Valley, one of California's premier Chardonnay appellations, this wine showcases the region's signature combination of rich fruit character and bright acidity. Cool morning fog and afternoon breezes produce Chardonnay of exceptional balance, with notes of ripe pear, green apple, and citrus complemented by subtle hints of vanilla and toast. The palate is round and full-bodied yet refreshing, with a long, elegant finish.
Jonive Chardonnay Russian River Valley is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
Jonive’s Moon Dust Vineyard is planted to a range of clones, imparting unique characteristics and quality to the wines. 100% estate-owned vineyard planted in 1998 and 2007. Goldridge (Moon Dust) soil over clay loam. Eastern/Southern Exposure.
The wine has a typical light straw color and complex aromas of lemongrass, nutmeg, Meyer lemon, fresh oregano, and a touch of passionfruit. This Chardonnay has an enveloping mouthfeel that is at once crisp and linear as well as rich and expansive, a very unusual and beguiling combination of textures and mouthfeel. The browning of clone 17 enables the wine to be rich, but at a lower alcohol, and clone 95 contributes beautifully fresh acidity. The palate shows jasmine, honeydew melon, tarragon, lime, 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
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
Reviews:
"This unfiltered Chardonnay explodes from the glass with brilliant aromas of fresh lime peel, orange blossom, chalk and green pear. The palate displays all of that aciddriven freshness, with flavors of juicy tangerine and flowers leading to a finish with echoes of salty lime zest."
— Tom R. Capo, 2025 Wine Enthusiast 95 Points
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:
The fruit in this is very beautiful, with sliced apples, cream and hints of stone. Full-bodied with plenty of fruit and a creamy texture that shows tension and intensity. Just the right amount of oak to highlight this. Drink or hold.
-James Suckling 94 Points
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Force Majeure Cabernet Sauvignon Red Mountain is made from 100 percent Cabernet Sauvignon.
The estate Cabernet Sauvignon is grown primarily along the southwest ridge of the vineyard. The vines produce small berries with bountiful flavor, concentration and intensity, but also a good degree of finesse, excellent structure and layers of complexity that will continue to develop during extended bottle aging for those who want to cellar and age their wines. The wine is powerful, elegant, full-bodied.
Bottled unfined and unfiltered.100% free run
Pumpovers and punch-downs, up to 45 day macerations
Native yeast, 5 day cold soaks
22 months in 75% new French oak barrels
Fermented in concrete and stainless closed top tanks.
Review:
Another gem is the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Red Mountain Estate, a deep, concentrated, powerful Red Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon that I suspect will be up there with the legendary wines from this terroir. Beautiful cassis, graphite, lead pencil shavings, and damp earth notes give way to a full-bodied effort that has a liqueur of rocks-like minerality, flawless balance, building yet polished tannins, and a great finish. Hide bottles for 4-5 years, and it will evolve for 25-30 years if properly stored. Best After 2026.
-Jeb Dunnuck 98+ Points
"Blackberry, crushed rock, black cherry and spice aromas lead to ripe, intense, seamless, balanced dark-fruit flavors. The tannins give a firm grip. An extended finish caps it off. It's glorious. - SEAN P. SULLIVAN" - Wine Enthusiast (November 2022), 95 pts "A gutsy red that retains a sense of style and polish, with expressive blackberry, espresso and toasty spice flavors that build structure toward broad-shouldered tannins. Drink now through 2030. —Tim FISH." - Wine Spectator (Insider, January 4th 2023), 94 ptsA stunning bottling from Red Mountain, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon shows incredible flavor density and tension from this cooler vintage. On the nose, it shows off exotic spices that mingle with tar, anise, crème de cassis and violets. The palate is plush and jam-packed full of dark fruits, tobacco leaf, huckleberry coulis and mocha; refined tannins hold everything in place. Astonishingly good in its youth, this has at least another 20 years ahead of it. Be sure to give it at least a two-hour decant if enjoying young.
-Owen Bargreen (Vinous) 97 Points
Blackberry, crushed rock, black cherry and spice aromas lead to ripe, intense, seamless, balanced dark-fruit flavors. The tannins give a firm grip. An extended finish caps it off. It's glorious.
-Wine Enthusiast 95 Points
Siegel Hand-picked Selection Sauvignon Blanc is made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc.
The Hand-picked Reserva wines are born of a strong desire to offer the very best expressions of terroir from Siegel's El Crucero vineyard, at 360 meters above sea level. Carefully handpicked grapes deliver superb varietal character and exceptionally well-balanced fruit concentration, with a manual harvest and a second triage highlighting the family's commitment to uniquely handcrafted wines from the Curico Valley.
Unoaked and pale yellow in color, it offers enticing tropical fruit and citrus aromas, a beautifully balanced palate with pleasing acidity, and a soft, persistent finish.
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