Chalk Hill continues to impress me with the diversity and selection of their Chardonnays. Fred Furth founded Chalk Hill Winery within Sonoma County in 1972. The estate consists of 1,300 acres of land with only 300 acres planted to vineyards. The property is situated between Russian River Valley and Alexander Valley, offering a range of soils, microclimates and sun exposure.

This Chardonnay is sourced from Russian River Valley and has all of the charm that you would expect from this AVA. It is crafted from a proprietary clone of Chardonnay that was aged for 13 months in new French oak. This wine possesses a deep, medium yellow color accented with racy, yeasty brioche aromas. Delving into the soul of this wine you experience Fuji apples, candied citrus fruits and almond paste coated with marzipan cream. Just as you anticipate the conclusion, you perceive some crushed stones and minerals beneath the core, which adds a dimension of freshness. This was a delightful and unexpected surprise that made me want to revisit this wine several times through the evening.

By W Peter Hoyne