Grown on a ridge-top west of Occidental, this wine develops into a beauty with long exposure to air. At first, new oak masks the fruit, and then clean flavors of fresh strawberry build their fragrance into a midpalate punch of brightness. It grows increasingly generous, the red fruit lasting into a finish that contrasts saline tannins with the chocolate richness of oak. The impression is cool, clean and luxurious, the wine needing three to six years' more bottle age to reach optimal maturity.

Exhibits cola, raspberry, strawberry, and floral notes along with great ripeness, medium body, tremendous purity, and wonderful fruit presence.

Smoky, plum, black raspberry, sandalwood, celery salt, barnyard, compost aromas. Rich, round, supple and intense with good acidity and balance. Ripe cherry, vanilla, licorice, orange pekoe, and cardamom flavours. Long, warm and intense with great fruit.

Plummy and rich with deep, complex fruit flavors and a long, ripe finish; intense and dark.

At only 300 cases, this will be hard to locate, but worth the search. It's tightly wound, with citrus, herb and grilled-nut aromatics, rich buttered pearflavors and a silky, velvety mouthfeel that's to die for.

An intensely fragrant floral, ginger, peach, lemon-lime and orange-spice bouquet ushers in this smooth, well-structured wine. The palate shows intricately meshed orange, butterscotch and toasted nut flavors, offset by angular, racy mineral accent. Finishes long and crisp, wirh real refinement in it's pineapple, citrus and stony flavors. Enjoyable now but still tight, this should offer even more in two years.

Exploring The Best New Releases from Sonoma and Beyond The 2016 Chardonnay Seascape Vineyard is bright, focused and nicely lifted. Gracious and light on it its feet, the 2016 has a good deal of vibrancy. Lemon confit, white flowers and persistent saline notes bring energy and focus.

Exploring The Best New Releases from Sonoma and Beyond The 2016 Chardonnay Sevens Bench shows the natural richness and textural intensity that are such Carneros signatures. Orange peel, hazelnut, spice and tropical overtones give the Sevens Bench a slightly exotic feel that is quite appealing. Open-knit and gracious, the 2016 is quite expressive today.

This wine is an impressive barrel selection of several vineyards across the appellation. It opens with a nose of charcuterie and brined olive, with a palate that is textured and rich in flavors of tarte Tatin and baked mango.

Bright, fresh and nuanced, the 2016 Chardonnay (Russian River) has so much to offer. The Russian River Chardonnay is a distinctly mid-weight wine built on expressive citrus and floral character. It also happens to be the hidden gem in this range.

The 2015 Chardonnay Seascape Vineyard is deep, viscous and exotic. Tropical fruit, vanillin and yellow orchard fruit are all pushed forward in this racy, flamboyant wine. A touch of botrytis comes through in the wine's oiliness and overall flavor profile. The Seascape is the most exotic of the Chardonnays in the Hartford Court range.

The 2015 Chardonnay Far Coast Vineyard is a distinctly structured, savory wine built more on nuance rather than on overt fruit. Sage, dried apricot and a host of more mineral-notes are laced together in this distinctive Chardonnay. Deceptive in its mid-weight structure, the 2015 packs quite a punch.

This is made from grapes grown within a small block of the larger Durell Vineyard, on a slope that's rocky in soil and helps impart minerality and an undeniable note of flinty stone to the wine. Flowers, earth and dried herb persist, with a hint of ginger as the robust palate takes on fleshy white-peach and citrus flavors and a lasting impression of oak.

Hartford's 2015 Chardonnay Stone Côte Vineyard has turned out beautifully. Today, the mineral notes that are typical of this wine are much more present than they were when the wine was in barrel. Graphite, sage, apricot and smoke infuse this super-expressive, textured Chardonnay. This is very nicely done. The Stone Côte emerges from Hartford's portion of the Durrell Vineyard.

From a relatively warm site, this wine is rich and tropical, with a lovely texture. Sourced from multiple vineyards along the Laguna Ridge and from older plantings, it has high-toned aspects of tangerine and stone with a warmth of Gravenstein apple and pear. The medium structure supports integrated oak and body.

The 2013 Chardonnay Four Hearts Vineyards is a classic Russian River Chardonnay built on texture and exuberance. Honey, almonds dried herbs and apricots all flesh out in a generous, deeply expressive Chardonnay. Most of this fruit comes from Tom Dehlinger.

From the Laguna Ridge sub-region of Russian River, the bottled 2013 Chardonnay Four Hearts Vineyard (1,200 cases made) is fashioned from such older Chardonnay clones as the Wente, Sees and Rued. It displays tremendous acidity, wonderful ripeness, a leaner, and a more premier cru Chablis-like style than the Three Jacks and Stone Cote cuvées. It should drink well for 5-7 years.

The vineyard is in the far northwestern, mountainous part of the county, on the true Sonoma Coast. You can taste the cold, foggy nights in the mouthwatering acidity, and the warm, sunny days in the ripe oranges, tropical fruits and limes. As always, this Hartford Court Chardonnay brims with balanced elegance. It’s ready to drink now.

This is a huge, gigantic Chardonnay. It’s an atomic blast of tropical fruits, apricots, peaches, pears, oranges and zesty limes, along with plenty of toasty, caramelized oak. This massive richness is fortunately balanced by wonderful acidity and even a streak of minerality, like a lick of chalk and granite.

Crack the lobster and crab, sauté the scallops, bring on the wild mushroom risotto. This glamorous Chard will rise to the occasion with the best foods. It’s got it all: crisp acidity, a fine minerality, rich oaky influence and above all massive tropical fruit, pear and Meyer lemon flavors, with a crunchy minerality. Grows more fascinating as it warms in the glass.

The sensational 2009 Chardonnay Far Coast Vineyard offers up notes of almond paste, cinnamon, honey, crisp apples and white currants. This mineral-dominated, medium to full-bodied Chardonnay possesses a singular style. It should drink nicely for 4-5 years. Seascape is a ridge top property west of the village of Occidental that faces Bodega Bay in the Pacific Ocean, one of the coldest, windiest sites in the Sonoma Coast.

Bright gold. Pungent aromas of citrus pith, pear and flowers, plus a suggestion of smoky lees. Penetrating, minerally and uncompromisingly dry, offering intense orchard fruit and bitter citrus flavors that gain sweetness with air. An elegant, nervy and tactile wine that should age gracefully. Finishes chewy and very ling, repeating the floral note.

Pale, hazy gold. Pungent aromas of pear, grapefruit peel, saffron and smoky minerals. Juicy, intense and mineral-driven, with impressive extract to the flavors of lemongrass, orchard fruits and citrus pith. The wine's vibrant acidity adds delineation to a long, juicy, intensely stony finish. I really like this wine's interplay of richness and energy.

Seascape is perhaps the winery's coldest vineyard, right in the path of the wind blast coming in off Bodega Bay. You can taste the Pacific chill in the high acidity that makes the fruit so pure and intense. The flavors, of Meyer lemons, lime zest and stony minerals, are bracing, and the finish is absolutely, thoroughly dry. This is a sommelier's dream of a Chardonnay.