Chardonnay is ubiquitous, but a Chardonnay that is atypical is not. Gary Farrell has long turned out well-produced Chardonnay, with multiple iterations expressing a sense of place. That this expression is what Russian River Valley is all about should be no surprise. In fact, most California Chardonnay wants to be Russian River Valley Chardonnay, as this is one of the best places to properly grow Chardonnay in all of California. This opens up with traditional soft Chardonnay notes: apricot, lemon-lime and white peach notes, then adds crème brulee, light resin and loquat, offering texture and viscosity, but then ends with lively acidity and a pop of citrus. The whole is well balanced and affords a multitude of food pairing ideas as well as a great cheese plate companion. The wine was aged a short 10 months in barrel - 30% of those barrels being new French oak. If you want classic, authentic Russian River Valley Chardonnay, look no further. 6,204 cases. ORIGIN: Russian River Valley, Sonoma. ALCOHOL: 13.7% www.garyfarrellwinery.com
