Everyone that has recently tried this wine will attest to the fact that it continues to improve every time they taste it! Moreover, it did not start out as a slouch either! It received numerous accolades from the Wine Spectator, including top chardonnay at $30 and under (93 Points from James Laube) and The American Fine Wine Competition gave it a Gold Medal. Last year, Virginie Boone of the Wine Enthusiast described the wine “Heady in voluptuous up front oak, this wine’s rich full-bodied character continues with a taste of brioche and caramel apple. The creaminess on the palate is met by buoyant underlying acidity.” We believe her description is spot on except that the wine is now super smooth and beautifully integrated.

Wine Enthusiasts - 88 Points

"Rich in pineapple, melon and vanilla pudding, this robust white is creamy in texture and concentration, with an enduring lushness on the palate. It shows its oak and weight, offering a lasting finish of baking spice."

Bennett Valley's climate may be dominated by marine influences during the growing season, but in the early spring and late fall the local climate is more continental in nature and diurnal temperature fluctuations become more extreme. Chilly air sloughs off the face of Bennett Peak and settles over our vineyard, it's further "down valley" progress impeded by a low ridge at the back of the property. In the early spring when the buds are swollen and new shoots are beginning to push we are frequently awakened in the middle of the night by an alarm that is set to go off just before temperatures dip below freezing. Brett bundles up and goes out to start the frost control system - overhead micro-jet sprinklers that put just enough water on the vines to prevent frost damage. Every few years we have a really cold night and the alarm goes off shortly after we go to bed. When this happens, we wake up the next morning to find our fruiting spurs encased in ice and icicles hanging from the trellis wires. Quite a sight! In the later part of October, temperatures will once again dip low in the early morning hours. The most visible impact of this fall chill is beautiful foliage that can be observed in the vineyard, primarily in the lower sections of the vineyard.