Sonoma County

Medium

Cork

White

This wine is a good reminder of how difficult it is to reduce a region to a single style. Sonoma County simply doesn’t work that way. Russian River Valley, for example, is often thought of as warm, but sites like Bootlegger’s Hill Estate that sit in a cooler pocket on the western edge of the appellation, with some elevation and only about eight miles from the Pacific, prove otherwise. This Chardonnay from Kosta Browne balances ripe fruit aromas like lemon confit and honeyed apple with a note of wet stone, giving a clear perception of minerality. The wine is aged in about 30% new oak for 11 months and then spends another seven months in stainless steel, which can bring out a slightly reductive edge. There’s some viscosity on the palate carrying citrus peel flavours and a floral quality, with a long finish, perhaps a touch warm - something I wish were different.

Chardonnay

Kosta Browne, Bootlegger’s Hill Estate Chardonnay, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley, California, USA, 2023

17-Kosta-Browne,-Bootlegger’s-Hill-2023.jpg

This wine is a good reminder of how difficult it is to reduce a region to a single style. Sonoma County simply doesn’t work that

Kosta Browne, Bootlegger’s Hill Estate Chardonnay, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, California, USA 2023

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