Chalk Hill Estate Chardonnay 2017
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Winemaker Notes
Both poised and expressive the 2017 Estate Chardonnay delivers aromas of lemon, orange peel zest, and a hint of toasted marshmallow from the oak influence. Balanced and full with concentrated flavors of lemon oil are followed by rich and creamy minerality. This Chardonnay is known for its long, rich, and elegant finish, and this vintage is no exception.
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Wine & Spirits
Courtney Foley oversees winemaking at Chalk Hill, the 1,300-acre estate her father, Bill Foley, purchased in 2010. 117 of those acres are devoted to chardonnay, rooted in the layer of chalk-white volcanic ash that gives the estate and the surrounding appellation its name. Foley produced a brisk and spicy 2017, its dense aromas of peach fuzz, flowers and baked apple rich and tight enough to handle the toasty oak tannins. There’s cool earthiness running through it, balancing the wine’s warmth and lengthening the fruit savor. Serve this cellar temperature, as a rich aperitif or with Dungeness crab.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2017 Chalk Hill Estate Bottled Chardonnay excels against most others. TASTING NOTES: This wine pulls together aromas and flavors of ripe apples, cream, dried earth, and oak. Its brightness in the finish suggests a serving of grilled bone-in chicken thighs with fresh tarragon. (Tasted: September 9, 2020, San Francisco, CA)
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Wine Spectator
Intense and well-structured, with flavors of Bosc pear, Fuji apple and ruby grapefruit, supported by firm acidity. Dried savory herb notes linger on the fresh, pure-tasting finish. Drink now through 2023.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2017 Chardonnay Estate opens with notes of toast, cream, lemon pith and hay over a core of Red Delicious apple and banana chips. The medium-bodied palate is rounded and creamy with toasty spice and honey notions, finishing long and lifted with juicy acidity.
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Perhaps no other winery captures the casual luxury of Sonoma County better than Chalk Hill Estate. Founded nearly four decades ago, this spectacular 1300-acre property features 300 acres of vineyards, wilderness areas, winery, hospitality center, culinary garden, residence, stables, equestrian pavilion, sports fields, fishing and swimming ponds, and guest houses.
The winery's vineyards are thoughtfully woven through the native foliage and contoured to fit the intricate terrain. More than two-thirds of the Chalk Hill Estate remains uncultivated. The higher elevations offer stunning views of the Russian River Valley to the west and the Mayacamas Mountains to the east.
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.
Home to a diverse array of smaller AVAs with varied microclimates and soil types, Sonoma County has something for every wine lover. Physically twice as large as Napa Valley, the region only produces about half the amount of wine but boasts both tremendous quality and variety. With its laid-back atmosphere and down-to-earth attitude, the wineries of Sonoma are appreciated by wine tourists for their friendliness and approachability. The entire county intends to become a 100% sustainable winegrowing region by 2019.
Sonoma County wines are produced with carefully selected grape varieties to reflect the best attributes of their sites—Dry Creek Valley’s consistent sunshine is ideal for Zinfandel, while the warm Alexander Valley is responsible for rich, voluptuous red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are important throughout the county, most notably in the cooler AVAs of Russian River, Sonoma Coast and Carneros. Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot and Syrah have also found a firm footing here.