Hartford Court
2012 Four Hearts Vineyard Chardonnay
Chardonnay
California: Russian River Valley
Mission Briefing
The Mystical
Today’s Hartford Court 2012 Four Hearts Chardonnay is a stunning wine. This extraordinary Chardonnay was lovingly handmade by winemaker Jeff Stewart. An alum of Laurier, De Loach, Mark West, Kunde, La Crema and most recently Buena Vista Carneros, Jeff’s passion for wine was ignited when he traveled to France as a teen. There, he became fascinated with wine as an integral part of life.
Today’s wondrous Chardonnay is a rich and delicious wine that is elegant and perfectly balanced. There is power on the palate, but the wine is also so soft and elegant - which makes it something of a mystical aberration. The finish is extraordinarily long, with exotic fruit that juxtaposes beautifully against soft earthen components.
Enjoy this very highly recommended wine with a wide array of foods, such as ripe cheeses, seafoods or game bird. We’ll also enjoy a few bottles of ours as a delicious aperitif.
Tasting Profile
| Look: | A super light, pale golden hue from heart to outer rim, with a touch of viscosity as you swirl in the glass. |
|---|---|
| Smell: | Exotic and very floral on the nose, highlighted by lychee, pineapple, mango, white blossom, buttery vanilla spice, and slight herbal notes of sage and rosemary. |
| Taste: | Bold and powerful, yet also beautifully balanced. Fruit flavors of Anjou pear, candied Meyer lemon, and pineapple mingle with sweet vanilla bean, nutmeg, lime zest, ginger, and clove, with just a touch of river rock minerality at the very end. |
| Finish: | Long and lingering on the finish, with a wonderful acidity. This is a big and aromatic wine, with just enough elegance and restraint. |
| Pairing: | Perfect wine to pair with a rosemary, sage, and garlic rubbed pork chop, served with braised heirloom tomatoes. |
What the Winery Says
Our family of four makes Four Hearts Vineyards Chardonnay from estate and neighboring vineyards located in the heart of the Russian River Valley AVA. The vineyards are planted with very diverse Chardonnay clonal selections that include old Wente, Sees and Rued field selections, Dijon Clone 95 and Clone 4. These clones and field selections are picked and fermented separately and only the best barrels from each lot are blended to make the final bottling. The 2011 Hartford Court Four Hearts Chardonnay has a weighty texture with spicy and layered flavors and finishes with a brightness that reflects the cool climate origins of the vineyards that comprise this blend. All wines are barrel fermented in French oak barrels, and complete full malolactic fermentation with bi-monthly lees stirring
This distinct Russian River Valley Chardonnay displays yellow apple, peach blossom, tangerine and crystallized ginger. Fresh flavors of Gravenstein apple and citrus are intertwined with layers of spice. A rich and weighty mid-palate is followed by a very long exotic, mineral infused finish.
94 Point Review - Wine Advocate …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…
- Winemaker
- Jeff Stewart
- Accolades
- 94 Points - Wine Advocate
- Appellation
- Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, California
- Cooperage
- 10 months in 100% French oak
- ABV
- 14.5
About the Winery
Hartford Family Winery was founded in 1994 as a result of Don and Jennifer Hartford’s appreciation for the wines, the people, and the unique vineyards near their Russian River Valley home. Located in the Sonoma County town of Forestville, the winery is about 15 miles from the cool Pacific Coast.
Making delicious wines of high personality is directly related to the difficult locations of our vineyard sources, the limited production of our bottlings and the varietals we use. “Character through adversity” is an expression that we believe applies to people and grapevines and surviving adversity builds character, and personality, in both.