Fort Ross Vineyard Chardonnay 2018
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Robert
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Jeb
Dunnuck
Product Details
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Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
The hazy yellow hue is evidence of subtle stirring of the lees and bottling without fining or filtration. The rounded, rich mouthfeel is intertwined with the crisp acidity and stony minerality that is an expression of the high elevation and cool coastal climate. Pretty floral aromas of lemon blossom, chamomile and honeysuckle are balanced by hints of toasted hazelnut and honeycomb. On the palate Bartlett pear, golden delicious apples are layered with subtle baking spices, that linger through the long, full finish. This well-integrated and finely-structured Chardonnay will continue to evolve for many years.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
From a field selection planted to old Hyde and Wente clones, this white has soft rounded corners of caramel, oak and vanilla bean. The complex, balanced richness is defined in tropical fruit accented by a brightness of tangerine and white peach.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2018 Chardonnay Estate has a restrained nose of baker's yeast, Bosc pears, hay and acacia with a nutty undercurrent. The medium-bodied palate is savory with opposing tanginess and a refreshing finish.
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Wine Spectator
Powerful, with savory richness to the mix of intense fresh cut apple and pear flavors. Crunchy acidity fills the finish, which features buttery hints to dried sage and tarragon accents. Drink now through 2025.
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Jeb Dunnuck
The base 2018 Chardonnay Fort Ross Vineyard is impressive, offering lots of honeyed orchard fruits and white currant fruits as well as some spice and brioche aromas and flavors. It's rich, medium-bodied, balanced, and simply an outstanding effort to enjoy over the coming 2-4 years.
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Connoisseurs'
Guide
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Nestled on a sunny coastal ridge, overlooking the Pacific Ocean a mile below, Fort Ross'"True Sonoma Coast" vineyard is one of the closest, if not the closest, to the ocean in all of California. From the vineyard you can see the breaking surf and the misty silhouettes of Bodega Head and Pt. Reyes far below. The vineyard's high elevation above the coastal fog and its proximity to the ocean provide a gentle, sunny and temperate climate that has proved to be very favorable for the slow and even ripening of Burgundian varietals.
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.
On the far western edge of the larger Sonoma Coast appellation, the Fort Ross-Seaview AVA hugs right up against the Pacific coast. Vineyards, planted at rugged elevations between 920 to 1,800 feet, occupy only two percent of the total land in the AVA. Fort Ross-Seaview growers believe that the region boasts an ideal mix of sunshine, cool air and beneficial stress for producing high quality Chardonnay and Pinot noir.