Rombauer Vineyards produced their first Chardonnay with the 1982 vintage, but it wasn't until 1990 that the Rombauer family made their first Chardonnay from the Carneros region, where the San Pablo Bay meets the southern end of Napa and Sonoma valleys. The cool climate and soils of this region provide ideal conditions for this quintessential Carneros Chardonnay with the Rombauer hallmarks of intense fruit flavors balanced by fresh acidity.

The fruit for this wine comes from vineyards in the Carneros region owned by the Rombauer family and select growers including the Sangiacomo family; long-term grower partners who have farmed this land for three generations. The grapes were gently whole-cluster pressed while the fruit was still cool. The juice was pumped to tank to cold-settle overnight before it was racked to barrel for primary and malolactic fermentation. The lees were stirred every two weeks to give the wine rich flavors and a creamy texture.

The 2021 vintage is being regarded as one of the best in recent history for the white wines from Napa and Sonoma. The white wines show a distinct freshness coupled with complexity and a long finish that dazzles the palate. A few months ago, our domestic buyer tasted through dozens of Chardonnay barrel samples from this vintage, all from Carneros and Sonoma, and he was thoroughly ecstatic with what he tasted.

The 2021 Chardonnay has just landed, and for the time being, we have plenty of it! Ripe peach, citrus fruits, spice, and pie crust aromas all mingle and lift from the glass. The citrus supported by notes of apricot continues onto the palate which is concentrated with a rich, creamy middle palate, and strong supporting acidity. The finish is long and marked with hints of vanilla. This wine will continue to build richness as it ages in the bottle.