2011 Rochioli, Chardonnay Estate Grown, Russian River Valley.
This vintage of the Rochioli Estate Chard is refined and refreshingly subtle with medium weight, vibrancy and graceful round flavors with touches of mineral, saline and a delightful texture. The nose is steely with wet stones, hazelnut and a hint of fig with a burst of citrus and pear, leading to a layered palate of lemon, apple, pear and a touch of white peach. The restrained nature of this elegant wine almost brings a fine Chassagne-Montrachet to mind and highlights the cool vintage and shows the deft winemaking, even on the this scale, this is a well crafted Chadonnay that delivers nice detail, has good balance and gives lots of pleasure. While lean and focused it will certainly gain complexity and drink nicely for another 3 to 5 years.
($38-59 Est.) 92 Points, grapelive
