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: 2015 Hanzell "Estate" Sonoma Valley Chardonnay

2015 Hanzell "Estate" Sonoma Valley Chardonnay (Elsewhere $65)

SKU #1442975 94 points Jeb Dunnuck

Outer quote mark Showing beautifully, the 2015 Chardonnay offers a touch of maturity in its caramelized peach, pineapple, flora, and toasted bread-like aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied and beautifully textured on the palate, it has plenty of fruit, a solid spine of acidity, and a clean, mineral-laced finish. This is just a beautiful Chardonnay from Sonoma that's drinking at point today yet will evolve nicely for another 5-7 years. Inner quote mark (12/2020)

93 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

Outer quote mark The 2015 Chardonnay is a little reticent to begin, slowing unfurling to reveal lemon tart, apple pie and nectarine notions with hints of honeyed toast, cashews and orange blossoms. The medium-bodied palate is refreshing and elegantly styled with many citrus and stone fruit layers accented by savory suggestions and a satiny texture, finishing long and mineral laced. (LPB) 93+ Inner quote mark (6/2018)

92 points Wine Enthusiast

Outer quote mark There's a note of barrel influence on the nose, a heartiness of oak that weaves within the greater whole as the wine develops. Smooth, rounded richness, a mix of baked apple and hazelnut, provide a textured balance of flavor within lovely highlights of lemongrass and ginger. (VB) Inner quote mark (8/2018)

90 points Wine & Spirits

Outer quote mark Juicy loquat meets smoky oak flavors in this bold and spicy Chardonnay. The oak brings a touch of vanilla and bitter spice, the wine structured for aging. Inner quote mark (10/2018)

K&L Notes

K&L Notes: There are few more historic wine estates in California than Hanzell. Perched commandingly on the western flanks of the Mayacamas mountain range, the winery was founded by Ambassador James Zellerback in 1953. He planted the estate to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay based on his inspiration from the time he spent in Burgundy. Today the estate is ably managed by winemaking veteran Jason Jardine. His resumé includes winemaking roles at such great estates as Flowers, Rhys Vineyards, Clos Du Val, and Domaine Serene, among others. In all, they've now been farming the estate for over six decades. As stewards of the land, they employ ethical, social, and ecological responsibility to ensure the sustainability of the place for generations to come, weaving in bio-dynamic principles as well as science-based farm management systems.

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2015 Hanzell "Estate" Sonoma Valley Chardonnay

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Product Reviews:

By: Ryan Woodhouse | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 3/12/2021 | Send Email

Bravo to my colleague, Kaj Stromer, for scoring a super price on this iconic Chardonnay. One of my personal favorite properties in all of Sonoma, and one with a spectacular history. This idyllic hilltop vineyard over looking the town of Sonoma is home to some of oldest Chardonnay (and Pinot Noir) vines in the state, planted in 1953. On first look this site might seem quite warm for these Burgundian varietals and yet standing on the balcony of the historic winery building you can look right out over the Ambassador's Block, south of Sonoma Mountain to San Pablo Bay and the cold Pacific beyond. The wines from here have a magisterial quality, they're powerful and age worthy but at the same time elegant and refined. This wine is in a perfect drinking window now, the oak wonderfully integrated, the mélange of flavors are beautifully woven together. A freshness and clarity is brought to the finish by the mineral infused acidity like a cool ocean breeze spritzing it with salt spray. A beautiful, pedigreed wine made all the more attractive by this special low price!

By: Kaj Stromer | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 3/1/2021 | Send Email

I visited the estate back in the spring of 2018 and I must admit it was an eye-opening experience. The view from the top of the mountain was breathtaking, but the sight of moveable chicken coops in the vineyards really caught our attention. With a keen focus on sustainability and being stewards of the land, the team at Hanzell pay excruciating detail to the health of their vineyards. This ultimately is translated into the glorious wine in the bottle. The Chardonnay is harvested from vines with an average age of 35+ years. It is fermented primarily in stainless steel with about a third in barrel. The barrel fermented portion undergoes full malolactic fermentation. The wine is then aged one year in 60-gallon French oak casks. The result is a wine that combines both intensity and freshness with sense of luxury and pedigree. We now have the rare opportunity to offer this back vintage "grand cru" at a very special "Insider Advantage" price for the first time ever!

Additional Information:

Varietal:

Chardonnay

- It's hard to believe that up until about 30 years ago, this extremely popular varietal hid behind the veil of geographical names like Chablis and Puligny-Montrachet. Now grown all over the world and bottled by its varietal name, Chardonnay has achieved a level of branding unlike any other wine. Surprisingly, though, what you get when you buy Chardonnay can differ greatly from country to country and even within one country, depending on the climate where it's grown and how it is vinified and aged. From fresh, crisp and minerally with apple and lemon notes to rich and buttery with tropical fruit overtones, Chardonnay runs the gamut. In France's Burgundy, Chardonnay is the source of the prized wines of Chablis, Corton-Charlemagne, Mâcon, Meursault and Montrachet. It also the foundation of exceptional Champagne, where it is blended with Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier or vinified on its own into Blanc de Blancs. It is also extremely popular in California, and is gaining popularity in Australia, New Zealand, Italy, Spain and South Africa.

Country:

United States

- When people consider domestic wine, they normally think about the state of California. The fine viticultural Region within California, including the Napa Valley, Sonoma, Santa Cruz Mountains, Mendocino and Santa Barbara, are capable of growing grapes of world-class quality. But there's plenty of fabulous wine coming from other states, too. Oregon, Washington and New York are also causing eyebrows (and glassware) to be raised around the world.

Sub-Region:

California

- With the explosive growth that California's wine industry has seen the past several years, it's easy to view winemaking and grape growing in the Golden State as a recent phenomenon. And while it's true that California's viticultural history is brief compared to several European countries, this state's roots date back well over 200 years. Due to the enormous response to California wine within the United States and worldwide, there are thousands of excellent and diverse wines being produced within the state each year.

Specific Appellation:

Sonoma County

- Second in fame only to Napa, this "other" valley offers just about every climate and topography imaginable. From its cool and fog-enshrouded coastal regions on the far west, to the sprawling Alexander Valley on the boarder of Napa and the many little dips and peaks in between, Sonoma has been a vital wine-grape-growing region since the mid 1800s. Important sub-AVAs include Chalk Hill (known for chardonnay and sauvignon blanc), Dry Creek Valley (where zin is king) Knights Valley (largely cabernet land), Russian River Valley and Sonoma Coast (both celebrated pinot and chardonnay zones).

Alcohol Content (%):

14.1