Seghesio is so well-known for Zinfandel that this chardonnay isn’t even visible on its website unless you search for it via Google. The unique thing about this Sonoma chardonnay? It’s blended with a tiny bit of vermentino from Seghesio’s Keyhole Ranch Vineyard in the Russian River Valley — a first as far as I can tell.

Let’s try it.

This is a wine that punches well above its weight class. Bold with vanilla and baked apples but bright with sunny citrus and a touch of saline, it’s a yin-yang of flavors that keeps the palate on its toes. A mandarin orange note on the nose drives a gentle sourness that keeps the sweetness in check. On the finish, a light note of florals — white flowers, honeysuckle — takes the finish in a slightly different direction. Either way, it’s delightful throughout all of that.

A / $22 / seghesio.com

2018 Seghesio Chardonnay Sonoma County

$22

9.5

Rating

9.5/10

Related Stories:

Review: 2015 Seghesio Home Ranch Estate Zinfandel Alexander Valley Tasting and Touring at Ravenswood Winery in Sonoma County, 2018 Review: 2018 Chalk Hill Sonoma Coast Chardonnay Review: 2012 Sonoma-Cutrer Late Harvest Chardonnay Winemaker’s Release