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Cristaldi Scores

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Wine

Color

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2023

Fisher Vineyards

Mountain Estate Vineyard Chardonnay

Fragrant lemon zest rises from the glass, nuanced by stony minerality and buttered croissant. Medium-bodied, it offers a wealth of creamy apricot and lemon biscuit flavors, with hints of quince paste and lively lemon-acid tension. Planted in 1999, Fisher’s Mountain Estate Vineyard Chardonnay is rooted in steep, rocky soils at 1,300 feet of elevation. Native fermented and aged for 18 months in French oak barrels (28% new). No sulfites were added at harvest or during aging. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. Founded in 1973 by Fred and Juelle Fisher, this second-generation family winery sources from estate vineyards in Sonoma County and Napa Valley.

2023

Fisher Vineyards

UNITY Chardonnay

This 100% Chardonnay was barrel-aged for 18 months in French oak (12.5% new) on primary lees, with native malolactic fermentation. Ripe orchard fruit builds in the glass, followed by apple and pear pastry, white flowers, and wildflower honey. Medium-bodied, the wine gains richness with layers of lemon and tangerine oil, balanced by zippy, almost prickly citrus acidity that keeps everything lifted even as the oily fruit deepens in weight. It’s a meal unto itself. Founded in 1973 by Fred and Juelle Fisher, this second-generation family winery sources from estate vineyards in Sonoma County and Napa Valley.

2023

Flowers Vineyards & Winery

Sonoma Coast Chardonnay

This 100% Chardonnay was sourced from Flowers’ coastal estate, Camp Meeting Ridge, along with several other family-owned vineyards in the Sonoma Coast. Aged for 10 months in 18% new French oak. This is a gentle giant of a Chardonnay, opening with delicate aromatics of lemon oil, Marcona almonds, pressed white florals, and a hint of honeycomb, before building terrific intensity on the palate with laser-focused acidity. The flavors show both breadth and depth—beguiling and persistent—balanced by stony minerality, pressed wildflowers, and crunchy apple, followed by richer yet slightly underripe pineapple notes. It finishes with a long, saline-driven acidity. A great wine—just get some. Helmed by longtime winemaker, Chantal Forthun, Flowers produces a limited amount of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from estate vineyards on the edge of the Pacific in addition to their signature wines from the Sonoma Coast.

2023

Gary Farrell Winery

Chardonnay

This 100% Chardonnay is blended from several vineyard sources that highlight the diversity and depth of the Russian River Valley. Aged for 10 months on primary lees in 30% new French oak. It isn’t shy with its oak use, but it’s beautifully integrated. The wine opens with aromas that transport you to a French bakery—lavish butter croissant and toasty brioche notes abound. Beneath that lies a wealth of citrus, lemon oil, lemon curd, and crème brûlée, all adding a sense of sweetness before finishing crisp, bone-dry, and marked by a welcome saline acid tension. Gary Farrell Winery has been a pioneer of the Russian River Valley wine scene for over 40 years.

2023

Hunnicutt

Richard Dinner Vineyard Chardonnay

From Richard Dinner Vineyard, a site long sourced by Paul Hobbs. The berries here are tiny, and they deliver a great deal of concentration and richness. The higher percentage of new French oak brings everything into balance, folding in sweet French-pastry and buttered-brioche notes that culminate in a full-bodied richness on the palate and a long, toasty finish. All night-picked, whole-cluster pressed, given a two-day settle, then treated with a small sulfur adjustment before native-yeast fermentation. Some lots underwent native malolactic fermentation. Bâtonnage starts with more frequent stirring and tapers off as the wines age in roughly 60% new French oak for 15 months. Bottled unfiltered and unfined.

2023

Implicit

Avidity Chardonnay

Sourced from Calesa Vineyard, a Petaluma Gap site perched on a high plateau with northwest-facing slopes and soils flecked with gravel and quartz. This is quite pretty — a flinty, mineral-driven wine interwoven with citrus peel and salinity, elegant cedarwood spice, and a cool acid crunch. Ripe yellow apple and pear join crushed Marcona almonds, a hint of vanilla, and good phenolic grip. Clone Dijon 76 — fragrant and laser-focused. Just gorgeous. Venge and team produce only about 150 cases of this barrel-fermented Chardonnay, made with native yeast and native malo, aged 15 months in 40% new French oak. All night-picked, whole-cluster pressed, given a two-day settle, then treated with a small sulfur adjustment before native-yeast fermentation. Some lots underwent native malolactic fermentation. Bâtonnage starts with more frequent stirring and tapers off as the wines age. Bottled unfiltered and unfined.

2023

Koehler Winery

John Sebastiano Vineyard Chardonnay

Sourced from John Sebastiano Vineyard, a site planted across steep, wind-exposed slopes with a mix of sandy loam, clay loam, and pockets of diatomaceous earth—soils and aspects that create naturally low yields and concentrated fruit—this Chardonnay is native-yeast fermented in barrel and aged 24 months in 50% new oak. The oak presents vividly, offering a rich, toasty profile that builds in the glass before giving way to lemon curd and butterscotch. It’s incredibly rich and unabashedly ripe, showing caramel-drizzled candied citrus rind, tangerine, tangerine oil, and warm ginger spice. Yet it’s a bit of a chameleon: a current of zesty acidity rises through all that silky richness, bringing the wine into balance.

2023

Kosta Browne

Bootlegger’s Hill Chardonnay

Sourced entirely from Hyde clone at the Bootlegger’s Hill Vineyard, whole-cluster pressed and 100% barrel-fermented, then aged 11 months in 33% new French oak followed by 7 months in stainless steel before bottling. The nose is super rich, showing lemon curd, apple, lemon peel, candied ginger and sea-spray minerality, with a kiss of vanilla and an ultra-salty wet-slate character. Ginger spice and candied lemon peel carry onto the palate, which has excellent mid-weight richness and a long, spice-driven finish. Totally captivating and delicious—beautifully balanced.

2023

Kosta Browne

Chablis Premier Cru Chardonnay

Sourced from Premier Cru vineyards—Fourchaume and Vosgros, a small site on the northern side of the appellation. Aged for 11 months in 5% new French oak. This is a beautifully crafted white wine with a creamy mid-palate richness and a lingering Marcona almond character. White flowers, tangerine peel and lemon verbena add intrigue and complexity, while the finish is soft and carried by ripe orchard fruit with excellent mineral tension stretching through the length. The 2024 vintage was hit hard by hail, so there will be no 2024 bottling—stock up on this while you can.

2023

Kosta Browne

El Diablo Chardonnay

Whole clusters were pressed directly and the wine was 100% barrel-fermented, then aged for 12 months in 32% new French oak and a further 6 months in stainless steel before bottling. Sourced from the El Diablo Vineyard along the eastern rim of the Russian River Valley, this is a wonderfully precise white wine with tangerine oil, white peach, yellow apple and poached pear. The mid-palate is luscious, creamy and silky, revealing decadent French-pastry and buttered-croissant notes, followed by a fabulous sea-salt finish. There is more richness here than in past years—and it’s a welcome evolution. These wines are beautifully balanced; Julien Howsepian is doing excellent work.

2023

Kosta Browne

One-Sixteen Chardonnay

Fermented entirely in barrel with no whole cluster and aged for 12 months in 34% new French oak. Vineyard sources include Zio Tony, Lone Oak, Ritchie, Keefer Ranch, Bootlegger’s Hill, El Diablo, Charles Ranch, and Bob’s Ranch. The wine is incredibly rich and layered, with lemon peel, fresh lemon and ripe apple mingling with toasty oak spices, candied ginger and crushed almonds. A lovely saline minerality accents the palate. Medium to full-bodied with excellent mid-palate weight, it finishes quite crisp. Subtle notes of French pastry and oyster-shell minerality weave throughout. Truly captivating.

2023

La Velentía

Blanc de Blancs

This 100% Chardonnay comes from two vineyards—Texas Hills in Johnson City (Texas Hill Country AVA) and Certenberg Vineyard in Pontotoc, Texas. Picked on the early side to preserve natural acidity, it underwent bâtonnage for three months before bottling. Made in the pét-nat style but sterile-filtered before secondary fermentation and bottled under crown cap, the wine is light, bright, and crisp, showing orchard fruit notes and a frothy, gentle mousse that’s pleasantly soft rather than aggressive. It has great texture and a clean, vibrant finish. Crafted by winemaker Rae Wilson, with support from Tony Offill.

2023

Landmark Vineyards and Marchelle

Lot #31. 'A Lorenzo Legacy' Lorenzo Vineyard Chardonnay

Poured by Greg Stach and Greg La Follette themselves at the 2025 Sonoma County Barrel Auction, this one-off Chardonnay is pure Sonoma history in the making. Bright and zesty, it shows citrus, brown spice, honeyed lemon and fresh ginger, with a medium-bodied frame, lovely mid-palate density and a long, slate-driven mineral finish. A singular, never-to-be-repeated collaboration that captures the soul of Lorenzo Vineyard with clarity, energy and depth.

2023

Landmark Vineyards

Starr Ridge Vineyard Chardonnay

Banana, white peach, pear, white flowers, and fragrant cedar wood lead the way in this balanced, medium-bodied Chardonnay, with the same fruit and cedar spice carrying through on the palate. It’s a pleasantly coaxing wine with a graceful mix of richness and lift. The Starr Ridge Vineyard is planted to the Montrachet selection (clone) of Chardonnay, prized for producing high-quality wines from its low-yielding grapes. The wine was whole-cluster pressed and barrel-fermented with native yeast, then aged for 13 months in French oak (30% new).

2023

Liquid Farm

Golden Slope Chardonnay

The Golden Slope Chardonnay—sourced from Rita’s Crown, Hilltop, Clos Pepe, Spear, and Kessler-Haak—is native fermented and aged up to 16 months in mostly puncheons, with about 15% new French oak. Founder Jeff Nelson notes that the barrel program plays a vital role in leveraging the muscularity of their whites, particularly in this bottling. The 2023 vintage is among the most focused expressions of Golden Slope in recent memory. It’s as gorgeously layered and fragrant as ever, bursting with lemon and lime zest, apricot, and tangerine oil, framed by supple, juicy fruit and laser-focused saline-acid tension. The finish is long, detailed, and expressive, with crushed Marcona almonds and a hint of honeycomb richness.

2023

Liquid Farm

White Hill Chardonnay

The 2023 White Hill Chardonnay—named in homage to Chablis and the diatomaceous soils of the Sta. Rita Hills—is native fermented and aged for 11 months in a mix of neutral barrels and large-format French barriques (with zero new oak). It showcases exceptional depth and drive thanks to the long, cool growing season. Fruit is sourced from some of the AVA’s most iconic sites: Hilltop, Kessler-Haak, Clos Pepe, Spear, and Rita’s Crown. Lemon peel, white apricot, and honeycomb lead the aromatic charge, while the palate is etched with crackling saline-mineral tension. There’s serious mid-palate density, but also thrilling lift—bright lemon-lime acidity, layered white floral notes, and a mouthwatering brininess that lingers through the long, linear finish. It’s one of the most complete and textural White Hill releases to date.

2023

Lombardi

Baer Vineyard Chardonnay

The Baer Vineyard Chardonnay from the Russian River Valley is fermented and aged entirely in terracotta amphora for ten months. Crafted by winemaker Cabell Coursey, it shows wonderfully crisp aromatics—apple skin, a touch of beeswax, Marcona almond, and a hint of sea spray. The texture is velvety with a subtle, almost tannic grip. The palate delivers a deep, flavorful expression of apple, pear, and dried apricot, with a firm hold through the mid-palate and plenty of length on the finish.

2023

Lombardi

Chardonnay

The Lombardi Russian River Valley Chardonnay is sourced entirely from Baer Vineyard in 2023. It’s fully barrel-fermented in French oak and aged for ten months in a mix of 65% Atelier and François Frères barrels and 35% stainless-steel drums. The wine is focused and precise, with citrus and white-flower aromatics, candied quince, and pretty cedarwood notes. Crisp and tension-driven on the medium-bodied palate.

2023

Lombardi

Chardonnay

This Clone 15 Chardonnay comes from Baer Vineyard in the Russian River Valley. The fruit is pressed off the skins quickly, then fermented in a mix of stainless steel and French oak, with very little new wood, and aged for ten months in Atelier and François Frères barrels. The wine shows vivid aromatics of candied ginger and elegant cedarwood, building into green apple and pear with a squeeze of lemon. Satiny textures and a well-balanced line of tension frame the palate. Crafted by winemaker Cabell Coursey and owned by Christine and Tony Lombardi.

2023

Longboard Vineyards

Rochioli Vineyard Chardonnay

Longboard’s 2023 Russian River Valley Rochioli Vineyard Chardonnay is 100% Clone 76, native fermented, and aged on the lees for six months before being bottled unfined. It’s noticeably crisper and more fruit-driven than the 2024 vintage, offering bright notes of lemon, lemon peel, lime blossom, tangerine oil, and chamomile. Like the 2024, it’s full-bodied and full-flavored, brimming with lemon curd and tropical fruit, showing fine concentration and balance. A lingering thread of salinity and subtle toasty oak spice rounds out the finish.

2023

Longoria Wines

Chardonnay

A perfect snapshot of Sta. Rita Hills Chardonnay, this bottling from Longoria opens with a Meyer lemon–infused bouquet that sets the tone for what follows. On the medium- to full-bodied palate, fragrant notes of candied ginger and quince unfold with round, rich texture and silky phenolics. The finish is long and mouthwatering, laced with salted candied lemon peel and a gentle dusting of fragrant baking spices. Just dazzling.

2023

Lucie

Sun Chase Vineyard Chardonnay

This is a crunchy, bright and vivid Chardonnay, with elegant lemon and lime fruit, under-ripe white peach, apricot and green apple — a sort of fruit salad, yet wonderfully vivid and refreshing. The mid-palate is rounded with good depth of apricot flavor and richly integrated cedarwood notes. The oak is never obvious; it is more structural than overt. The 2023 Lucie Chardonnay comes from Sun Chase Vineyard, Block 7 — a steep, north-west-facing site. The fruit is night-picked, whole-cluster pressed, given a two-day settle, then treated with a small sulfur adjustment before native-yeast fermentation. Some lots undergo native malolactic fermentation. Bâtonnage begins with more frequent stirring and tapers as the wines age for 15 months in roughly 40% new French oak. The wine is bottled unfiltered and unfined.

2023

Lumen

Goodchild Vineyard Chardonnay

Sourced from Wente clone Chardonnay, this small-production wine (just 125 cases) was fermented in stainless steel and aged for six months in neutral oak. Exotic aromas of mango, papaya, and white peach mingle with lemon zest and zesty ginger. Medium-bodied and supple, the palate is energized by racy acidity, allowing the vivid tropical and stone fruits to gain depth and complexity. The finish is long and textural, framed by chalky minerality and a flourish of pressed white flowers.

2023

Macauley Vineyard

Bacigalupi Vineyard Chardonnay

Fermented and aged in stainless steel, concrete egg and neutral French oak, this wine was aged sur lees and did not undergo malolactic fermentation. As such, it is super bright and zesty, though you’d be hard-pressed to guess there’s no malo, as it shows real richness and depth — perhaps thanks to the Old Wente clones. Citrus fruit, white flowers, beeswax and vanilla unfold with great length and lovely wet-stone mineral tension. Really lovely.

2023

Marbeso

Spear Vineyard Chardonnay

From the Spear Vineyard, this Chardonnay is layered with signature traits of the site: rich honeycomb, overripe lemon, and crushed Marcona almonds. On the palate, it’s textured and expressive, with subtle apple skin tannins framing flavors of yellow apple, ripe pear, and warm baking spices. The wine carries through to a lengthy, beautifully bright finish.

2023

Marchelle Wines

Lorenzo Vineyard Chardonnay

This 100% Chardonnay was made with native yeasts, whole-cluster pressed, and aged for 19 months in 20% new French oak. Sourced from Lorenzo Vineyard—a site planted in 1973 and renowned for its naturally rich fruit, minerality, and vibrant acidity—the wine is generous and toasty, with a creamy, buttery texture. Wet stone minerality provides restraint and lift on the palate before the wine builds again in intensity, finishing long and bold with lingering notes of butterscotch. Founded in 2021, Marchelle is a collaboration between winemaker Greg La Follette and co-founder Kevin Lee (a Silicon Valley brand builder turned vintner), named in honor of their wives (Mara and Michelle).

2023

Marine Layer

Aries Chardonnay

A friend in the tasting room remarked that this is the kind of wine you’d expect to see poured by the glass at a Michelin three-star like Single Thread. It has a liqueurous, wonderfully rich texture—extremely deep and penetrating on the mid-palate—with uber-ripe pear and apple fruit, almost like poached pear, accented by white florals, crushed almonds, sea salt, and chalky mineral tension. The length is extraordinary—stretching from the tasting room in Healdsburg clear down to the Golden Gate Bridge—and along the way you experience the landscape itself: rolling hills of orchard fruit, wind, fog, and sunshine, all encapsulated in the glass. Try as you might, you will finish this bottle. Sources include vineyards in the Green Valley and Petaluma Gap sub-AVAs, along with Marine Layer Vineyard in the Sebastopol Hills. Native fermentation; 100% malolactic; gentle lees stirring once per month. Aged 11 months, unfined and lightly filtered.

2023

McGrail Vineyards

Family Chardonnay

100% barrel-fermented, with roughly 30% new French oak and some Hungarian oak in the mix. This wine is super bright, with layers of lemon oil, toasty brioche, buttered croissant, and candied ginger. Medium- to full-bodied, it delivers a fantastic mouthfeel—rich, weighty citrus fruit balanced by bright, intense acid tension. Winemaker Mark Clarin notes that he inhibits some of the malolactic fermentation, allowing only about 70% to complete, which helps preserve freshness and drive. Fragrant baking spice and vanilla notes weave through the palate, and the finish lingers with terrific mineral intensity. A dynamic, beautifully structured white with serious depth and length.

2023

Melville

Estate Chardonnay

The flagship estate Chardonnay is sourced from all four of Melville’s estate ranches. The fruit is harvested overnight and pressed before sunrise into tank, followed by a 24-hour cold settle before being racked to barrel. Fermentation occurs entirely in neutral oak, with the wine aged for eight months prior to bottling. This is a flinty, reductive Chardonnay on the nose, with a candied minerality that lifts its fragrant baking spice character. Layers of Meyer lemon, pear, white peach, and a hint of agave nectar unfold on the palate, all framed by scintillating acidity. The finish is long and complex, marked by crushed Marcona almonds, lime blossoms, and lime zest.

2023

Milea Estate Vineyard

Estate Vineyard Unoaked Chardonnay

Fermented in stainless steel with lees stirred every three months over a seven-month period before bottling. The wine offers lemon-lime brightness, white flowers, and crunchy acidity, with layers of citrus, citrus oil, and subtle almond notes. It finishes with a steely, slate-like minerality.

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Vintage

Wine

Type

Color

Rating

$

2022

Producer

Name

The Hyde Vineyard Chardonnay from Jeff Gaffner is wonderfully fragrant, zesty and fresh—exactly as Hyde is meant to be. Pure citrus notes rise from the glass, nuanced by white-flower aromatics and crushed-almond accents, all embraced by sumptuous, well-integrated oak spice. The medium-bodied palate builds both richness and volume before giving way to a host of saline, rocky mineral characters that carry the wine through a long, invigorating finish.

2022

Producer

Name

Such an alluring nose of anise, fennel, and lemon cream and French pastry, apricot jam and flinty minerals, all coming together on the palate framed by richer tropical notes of grilled pineapple, and white peach, with butterscotch cream and lemon zest, supported by zingy acid tension and a toasty oak finish. This Roberts Road Vineyard Chardonnay from Jeff Ganer is one of the more richer styles of Chardonnay he produces, and if you love that style this is your bag baby.

2022

Producer

Name

The Chehalem Mountain Vineyard, near the top of the Chehalem Mountain AVA, sits at 400 feet and is planted mostly on volcanic soils. Aged 18 months in 50% new French oak, this is a serious wine that benefits from a little air. It builds in the glass with bright orchard fruit, crisp green-apple skin, and delicate white-floral and warm brown-baking-spice notes. Absolutely pretty, completely crushable, and wonderfully mineral on the lengthy finish.

2022

Producer

Name

From the Eola Springs Vineyard in Oregon. Aged 18 months in 50% new French oak. This is a very focused, very linear Chardonnay — clean, crisp, and intensely mineral-driven, with a cool wet-river-stone quality and a touch of pulverized chalk. Whispers of lemon and lime citrus mingle with white flowers, subtle almond, fennel blossom, and a hint of anise. Very lovely. Very pristine.

2022

Producer

Name

This Chardonnay opens with bold aromas of Meyer lemon and sweet, toasty oak that mellow beautifully on the palate. Layers of lemon oil, apricot, ripe yellow apple, and pear create a rich fruit salad character, all framed by zesty acid tension. The finish evokes the indulgent pleasure of a decaadent, powdered sugar-dusted lemon bar.

2022

Producer

Name

Expressive, focused, complex, and superbly balanced. The wine opens with flinty minerality and bright citrus—Meyer lemon and grapefruit—before unfolding into a silky, weighty mid-palate layered with creamy lemon curd, apricot, crushed almonds, and white flowers. The finish is long, driven by saline-acid tension that’s nearly impossible to beat. It feels like a brilliant cross between the best of Chablis and the far western Sonoma Coast—yet remains unmistakably Long Island, with its sea spray lift, lime-bright acidity, and mouth-puckering grip that beautifully balances the wine’s fleshy mid-palate. Wonderful energy and exceptional precision. “This wine follows in the footsteps of our best 1994 Chardonnay, which launched the fine wine reputation of Wölffer Estate,” says winemaker Roman Roth. Twenty percent of the wine underwent natural malolactic fermentation, and it remained sur lie on whole lees for eight months with minimal bâtonnage.

2023

Producer

Name

Sourced from Pruett Vineyard, bottled unfiltered, and available exclusively through the 3 Steves wine club, this white is both expressive and refined. The nose bursts with notes of apricot, ripe peach, and yellow apple, accented by a stylish touch of butterscotch.The medium- to full-bodied palate is spicy and rich, yet maintains an elegant posture, with well-balanced weight and freshness. -JR

2023

Producer

Name

A blend of Radian and Bentrock fruit. We select the most extreme expressions from both vineyards—those with the most intensity and edge—which ultimately make their way into the Estate bottling. The result is a wine of harmony and precision, with a mix of white flowers, citrus, and orchard fruit. There’s a real purity to the fruit character, with finely delineated notes of apple, pear, nectarine, and white peach. An incredible thread of saline-acid tension runs through it all, accenting a perfectly spicy element that lifts the richness of the fruit. The wine shows marvelous mid-palate density yet finishes with an ephemeral lightness of being—melting away with grace.

2023

Producer

Name

This is the kind of Chardonnay I could drink from morning to morning. Bennett Valley, an ancient geological crater bordered to the west by Sonoma Mountain and the Petaluma Gap AVA, traps cold air as it spills over the mountain, creating a bowl-like effect that necessitates frost protection throughout the growing season. Fruit from this site was gently whole-cluster pressed and sent directly to barrel for fermentation with native yeasts, including roughly 25% new French oak. Aged for 16 months, the resulting wine is bright and focused on the nose, with inviting aromas of candied citrus peel, baking spices, toasted oak, and a hint of candied ginger. Medium- to full-bodied on the palate, it mirrors the aromatic complexity, with warming notes of vanilla, crushed Marcona almonds, and citrus peel carried through a lengthy, layered finish. Rich yet precise, this is a beautifully composed and texturally compelling wine.

2023

Producer

Name

Le Rayon Vert is a barrel-select cuvée that undergoes extended élevage, spending 14 months in oak followed by six months in stainless steel, with additional time in stainless steel prior to bottling. The wine is then held for a further six months before release. Fruit is sourced from three sites in Bennett Valley: two hillside vineyards and one valley-floor site. The aromatics are super bright and expressive, led by citrus peel and flinty minerality, with subtle toasted cedarwood and spicy ginger notes. On the palate, there is a radiant core of electric acidity and saline mineral tension that brings terrific focus and energy. As with the previous vintage, the finish is long and layered, marked by bright, crunchy apple spice and a lingering wet-slate mineral note.

2023

Producer

Name

The 2023 Simpatico Ranch Chardonnay marks a textural departure from the 2022 vintage. Whereas the 2022 was softer and suppler, the 2023 is fresher, more dynamic, and longer on the palate, with focused tension and a deeper layering of candied ginger and rich brown baking spices—almost like brown sugar spice—unfolding along the finish. Sea spray minerality carries the day, complemented by lemony citrus and tangerine zest, alongside characteristic apple blossom and nutty, spiced nuances that emerge on the lingering finish. Captivating and mouth-watering.

2023

Producer

Name

Totally captivating from the first sniff to the last sip, this Chardonnay opens with a burst of bright oyster shell minerality, layered with lemon zest and yellow apple that evolve into quince and ginger on the palate. Apple skin tannins lend texture and tension to this electric, acid-driven wine. Rich tangerine oil is beautifully balanced by Sta. Rita Hills’ signature lemon-lime brightness and sea spray salinity. A masterful wine—bracing yet rich, structured yet giving. Subtle hints of honeydew and honeycomb emerge on an almost everlasting finish. This should continue to develop wonderfully over the next decade, making it one to savor now or cellar with confidence.

2023

Producer

Name

A wild yeast, low production (249 cases), Old Wente Clone Chardonnay from one of Sonoma’s most celebrated vineyards, this white sees no malolactic fermentation. Lifted aromas of golden apples, toast, honeysuckle, white tea leaves, and ripe citrus lead into fantastic flavors of lemon, white peaches, and hazelnuts. Packed with elegance and verve, this is excellent from start to finish. – J.R.

2023

Producer

Name

What a luscious, lovely, rich, and creamy Chardonnay — with plenty of acid verve. Delicious vanilla shows on the back palate alongside well-integrated cedarwood spice. There’s ample crunchy acidity to keep it fresh, bright, and classy. From Calesa Vineyard, all night-picked, whole-cluster pressed, given a two-day settle, then treated with a small sulfur adjustment before native-yeast fermentation. Some lots underwent native malolactic fermentation. Bâtonnage starts with more frequent stirring and tapers off as the wines age in roughly 35% new French oak for 15 months. Bottled unfiltered and unfined.

2023

Producer

Name

From the Sexton Valley Vineyard in the Sebastopol Hills, this Chardonnay is whole-cluster pressed, undergoes partial malolactic fermentation, and is aged entirely in stainless steel. The result is a bright, energetic wine that’s light on its feet yet full of character. Aromas of lemon oil, lemon zest, and white flowers lead to a palate brimming with tangerine peel, crunchy kumquat skin, and vibrant acidity. The finish lingers with stony, wet minerality and subtle notes of lemon curd.

2023

Producer

Name

This is a light, bright, zippy Chardonnay, boasting Sonoma Coast sea-spray minerality, subtle lemon and lime citrus, white flowers, and unsalted, unroasted almonds with a touch of almond-skin grip. There’s plenty of tension to carry this medium-bodied white well into the night or through a long meal, while a hint of sea grass and vanilla rounds it all out.

Vintage

Wine

Type

Rating

$

2022

2022 Saxon Brown Hyde Vineyard Chardonnay

Still Wine

$$

2022

2022 Saxon Brown Roberts Road Vineyard Chardonnay

Still Wine

$$

2022

2022 The Setting Wines Chehalem Mountain Vineyard Chardonnay

Still Wine

$$

2022

2022 The Setting Wines Eola Springs Vineyard Chardonnay

Still Wine

$$

2022

2022 Vignerons Chardonnay

Still Wine

N/A

2022

2022 Wölffer Estate Vineyards Perle (White Horse Label) Chardonnay

Still Wine

$

2023

2023 3 Steves Winery Chardonnay Reserve

Still Wine

$

2023

2023 Aaaaa The Hilt Estate Chardonnay

Still Wine

$$

2023

2023 Argot Chardonnay

Still Wine

$$

2023

2023 Argot Le Rayon-Vert Chardonnay

Still Wine

$$

2023

2023 Argot Simpatico Ranch Chardonnay

Still Wine

$$

2023

2023 Au Bon Climat Los Alamos Vineyard Chardonnay

Still Wine

N/A

2023

2023 AUTEUR Bacigalupi Chardonnay

Still Wine

$$

2023

2023 B Cellars Calesa Vineyard Chardonnay

Still Wine

$$

2023

2023 Balletto Vineyards Teresa’s Chardonnay

Still Wine

$

2023

2023 Blue Farm Chardonnay

Still Wine

$$

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