Review: 2018 Pfendler Petaluma Gap Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
We’re excited to dip back into the wines of Pfendler, which recently brought in a new winemaker, Erica Stancliff. While she didn’t work on the 2018 vintage from start to finish, she did oversee the final blend. More importantly, you’ll note that Pfendler’s wines now both sport the newly minted Petaluma Gap AVA on the label, a much-loved region on the south side of Sonoma County (and just a few miles from my home).
Thoughts on the new 2018 chardonnay and pinot noir follow.
2018 Pfendler Chardonnay Petaluma Gap – Bold and immersive, this chardonnay pulls you right in from the start with notes of brown butter, vanilla, almonds, and a thick smear of apple-fig jam laced with coconut. Immersive and opulent, the wine’s rich body is a showcase for that extracted, coconut-touched fruit character, touched with nutmeg and chai spice. A can’t-miss wine from one of Sonoma’s most under-the-radar producers. A / $45
2018 Pfendler Pinot Noir Petaluma Gap – Pfendler’s 2018 pinot is rich and immersive, much like its prior bottlings, intensely fruit forward with notes of strawberry, cherry, and raspberry. Vanilla and hints of chocolate mingle with some baking spice elements, and there’s a hint of hibiscus as the wine opens up. The finish is all fruit, with a strawberry jam element that lingers interminably. Hard to put down. A / $55
2018 Pfendler Pinot Noir Petaluma Gap
$55
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