An excellent example of opulent Chardonnay with plenty of toasty, spicy oak, this rings up for far less than most of its qualitative equals. Just shy of full-bodied but amply flavorful, it has enough ripe fruit to counterbalance the oak influence and enough underlying acidity to stay nearly as fresh as it is rich through the finish.
Lean and airy, with a focus on just-ripened cherries and white chocolate. Red tea tannins, hibiscus, and cinnamon stick add texture to the spicy finish.
From one of the latest harvests in the Sonoma Coast history, development of flavor had an advantage and this wine is proof. This wine is a blend of the estate’s six vineyards including the Heritage Vineyards of the Durell, Gap’s Crown, and Walala. The wine is delicate and feathery, with clear cut acid structure that illuminates cherries, pomegranate, and orange peel. Its dimension is notable, a down pillow of creamy blueberry, hibiscus, and mint chocolate chip with a dash of black pepper on the finish.
The Chardonnay grapes sourced for this wine were of such high quality that it has already lapped up the wood notes from 11 months of aging in oak barrels, which included a mix of French, American, and Hungarian vessels. The impressive result is a juicy but subtly complex wine that shows terrific fruit recalling ripe peaches and baked apples with faint spicy accents. Straightforwardly delicious.
A versatile Pinot thanks to medium body, moderate ripeness and well measured oak, this also offers strong value. The wood lends a pleasant spiciness but doesn’t seem to add to the tannin load, allowing the dark cherry fruit notes to hold center stage through the finish.
Winemaker Joe Nielsen is a wine shepherd, selecting choice vineyard sits for this program. Bush Crispo is a benchland site in the Olivet Lane neighborhood of the Russian River Valley. Aged whole cluster in French Oak, the wine possesses an innate freshness with keen acidity. Notes of cocoa, parchment, red beets, and fresh soil – along with some weight on the palate – crate a balanced, delicious red.
From the winery’s single vineyard series, clonal selection is 70% Montrachet Selection and 30% Robert Young. A charm bracelet of jeweled fruit washes across the palate, with lemon batter, mango, pineapple, and a thread of salty minerality from volcanic red soils. Marzipan and nutmeg ramp up on the energetic finish.
All native ferments and some whole cluster create texture and style. Dried roses, white-peppered pomegranate, red cherry, and spiced red tea are just a few of the layers in this structured Pinot Noir. Notes of umami ring true, with an absolute air of elegance.