Planted to the Martini clone in the late 1980's, Arrendell sits in a cold spot in Green Valley, where restricted yields produce fruit with a wild berry character and foresty spice. This 2007 is rich and complete, the texture making it satisfying all the way through. Even so, the brightness of the fruit cuts through the wine's darker tones and leaves a mouthwatering impression. It's a boysenberry-cherry-earth combination that would be delicious with roast duck.

Rich, racy flavors of blueberries, cola and hugely appealing brown sugar and spice; lush, and breathtaking.

It reveals a Côte de Nuits-like earthiness with forest floor, underbrush, Allspice, plum, pomegranate, and cherry fruit characteristics. Rich, savory, well-textured, super-complex, and totally different than the Arrendel cuvée, the Sevens Bench will also drink well for 5-6 years.

[One of ] The top 100 wines of the year.

Blackish purple. Full-bodied. Balanced acidity. Highly extracted. Quite tannic. Berries, vanilla, smoke. Aromas of crushed, superripe berries persist in this boldly structured red. Amazingly concentrated and already developing the subtleties that will make it magnificent in a few years.

The first Charonnay to be released under the Hartford Court label is the 1995 Chardonnay Arrendell Vineyard, of which, sadly, there are only 300 cases. It is a spectacular Chardonnay, offering a complex, smoky, hazelnut, honeyed, citrus blossom-scented nose, followed by layers of creamy-textured, concentrated fruit nicely buttressed by adequate acidity. New oak barrels have provided a subtle notion of smoke and toast, but the fruit dominates the wine's personality. This full-bodied, rich, elegant Chardonnay is undoubtedly going to make heads turn. It should drink well for 2-3 years.

The 2017s From Sonoma The largest production cuvée from Hartford Court is their 2017 Chardonnay Russian River Valley. Its medium gold color is followed by a rounded, supple, textured Chardonnay that has classic notes of pineapple, white flowers, honeysuckle, and toasted spice. Rounded, fleshy, and textured on the palate, with plenty of oomph, it shows the quality of this estate beautifully.

Exploring The Best New Releases from Sonoma and Beyond The 2016 Chardonnay Far Coast Vineyard is laced with apricot, chamomile, mint and lightly honeyed notes flesh out in this racy, layered Chardonnay. The Far Coast is rich and unctuous in the glass, and yet retains a good deal of freshness to balance things out.

Exploring The Best New Releases from Sonoma and Beyond The 2016 Chardonnay Fog Dance Vineyard, from a site in Green Valley, is bright, floral and light on its feet. Orchard fruit, white flowers, mint and persistent saline underpinnings make for a refreshing Chardonnay endowed with a good deal of character.

Exploring The Best New Releases from Sonoma and Beyond The 2016 Chardonnay Stone Côte Vineyard is a very pretty, gracious wine. In the 2016 vintage, the Stone Côte is especially floral and lifted, with lovely orange peel, lemon confit, spice and chamomile notes. Bright acids give this mid-weight Chardonnay energy and focus. There is so much to like.

USA, Northern California, Napa Valley: 2016 & 2017 – A Tale of Two Vintages The 2016 Hartford Court Chardonnay Sevens Bench Vineyard exudes beautiful lemongrass, lime leaves and fresh grapefruit scents with hints of yuzu, wet slate and croissant. Medium to fullbodied, the palate gives a cerebral, mineral and earthy character with a citrus core and fantastic vibrancy, finishing long and chalky.

The 2017s From Sonoma Ripe and upfront on the nose, with tons of caramelized citrus, honeysuckle, brioche, and some spice, the 2016 Chardonnay Sevens Bench Vineyard is another rounded, textured, yet fresh Chardonnay from this estate. With good acidity, plenty of length, and a balanced, high-quality feel, it's already drinking nicely and should keep for 5-7 years.

A dense, powerful wine, the 2016 Chardonnay Three Jacks Vineyard captures all the textural breadth this site is capable of. The apricot, orange peel, spice and tropically-leaning flavors are beautifully layered and delineated. The Three Jacks is one of the more ample, oily wines in the Hartford Court range.

USA, Northern California, Napa Valley: 2016 & 2017 – A Tale of Two Vintages The 2016 Hartford Court Chardonnay Three Jacks Vineyard gives up beautiful lemon curd, peach preserves and guava scents with suggestions of pineapple, allspice and brioche. Full-bodied, rich and seductive, it delivers mouth-filling stone fruit and tropical layers with a satiny texture and a long, ginger-laced finish.

Muted on the nose at first, this white becomes pretty in white flowers and nutty on the nose, with a character of candied ginger and honey. Preserved lemon flavors add richness to a grittiness of wet stone and quince. Structured and textured, it has ribald ripeness at its core that finds balance in its coastal provenance.

This is a substantial complex white, reduced nobly on the nose, with an exotic hint of oak spice and matchstick. Bright focused acidity lifts a grainy texture of mineral-laden stoniness, as high-toned aspects of tangerine and grapefruit underline the freshness that lingers with length.

Washington Wine Blog Top 100 of 2018 - #65 The Fog Dance Vineyard has a strong influence from the Pacific Ocean and is set in the Green Valley. The wine shows a beautiful golden hue and opens with a bright bouquet of brioche, butterscotch and Meyer lemon cream. The palate has a wonderful seamless quality, with a lifted approach. Kumquat, poached pear, lemon meringue and creme brûlée flavors connect with the lovely tension. This is a stunner by Hartford Court and will continue to pick up lovely tertiary elements as it ages into the next decade.

The 2015 Chardonnay Fog Dance Vineyard has turned out even better than I originally expected. Slate, crushed rocks, mint, lemon confit and white pepper are all perked up by bright acids. A hint of reduction adds character without overpowering the wine. Fog Dance remains one of the most distinctive wines in the Hartford Court range.

Three Jacks Vineyard Chardonnay is sourced from a small vineyard in the Green Valley area of the Russian River Valley AVA. It was planted in 1995 to four clones: Old Wente selection, Rued, Dijon 95 and Clone 15. It receives native yeast fermentation and is barrel fermented in French oak, 27% new, where it ages for 16 months prior to being bottled unfined and unfiltered. The 2015 Chardonnay Three Jacks Vineyard is bold and expressive, bursting with tropical and nutty notes, with an incredibly spicy perfume over a core of apricot preserves and honeycomb. Its powerful, full-bodied palate is laden with stone fruit and spice flavors wrapped in a satiny texture with plenty of freshness, finishing long with savory nuances coming through.

The 2015 Chardonnay Jennifer's is another super-impressive wine. The natural freshness of this cool site balances the overtness of the fruit. Lush and textured, but also impeccable in its balance, the 2015 has a lot to offer. Apricot, candied orange peel, spice and butter notes flesh out in this super-expressive, inviting Chardonnay.

Darker golden color in the glass. Great scents of apple skin, moss, and citrus. Delicious flavors of lemon-lime and peach framed by bright acidity, expansive on the viscous palate, building in intensity through a glorious finish. The finish is uncommonly persistent for a Chardonnay.

This is one of the most dramatic Chardonnays of the vintage, which was a difficult one owing to the coldest summer in many years. Somehow, Hartford Court’s viticulturalists pulled it off. There’s no trace of the greenness or unripeness that mark some other ’11 Chards. Instead, you’ll find waves of awesomely ripe apricots, tangerines and pears, enriched with smoky oak and brightened with brisk acidity. Terrific now and over the next 4–5 years.

The 2011 Chardonnay Four Hearts Vineyards is striking in its beauty. Dried pears, flowers, spices and a hint of French oak are all woven together in a gorgeous wine that captures the essence of Chardonnay from this specific part of the Russian River. Clean veins of minerality frame the saline, bracing finish. The Four Hearts is one of the very finest California Chardonnays readers will find in this price range. Most of the fruit comes from Tom Dehlinger, so the quality level here is hardly surprising. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2018.

High acidity marks this vibrant wine, which is from one of Kendall-Jackson's coolest coastal vineyards. The crispness lends a vibrant tension to the intense flavors of Meyer lemons, orange blossom and minerals, while oak adds softer, spicy notes. Feels racy and nervy all through, in a delicious way.