Longboard Vineyards
2012 Russian River Valley Chardonnay
Chardonnay •Rochioli Vineyard
California: Russian River Valley
Mission Briefing
Hanging Ten
We may not know much about surfing, but we certainly know an AMAZING white wine when we see one. And that’s just what we discovered in today’s Longboard Vineyards 2012 Russian River Valley Chardonnay.
A bit more robust and weighty that your typical Chardonnay, today’s wine most definitely belongs in the big leagues. Crafted with fruit harvested solely from the sought-after Rochioli Vineyard, today’s wine is luxury from beginning to end, with robust fruit flavors transitioning into an incredibly lush and elegant finish.
Go ahead, treat yourself with today’s delectable Chardonnay.
Tasting Profile
| Look: | Not quite straw yellow in color, but a very pale golden hue throughout the glass. |
|---|---|
| Smell: | Bright and floral on the nose, with delicate aromas of fresh white peach, honeydew melon, lime leaf, river rock minerality, honeycomb, dried white flower petal, lightly steeped herbal tea, and a kiss of buttery brioche. |
| Taste: | Delicious flavors that are very reminiscent of the nose, with added touches of quince, sweet lemongrass, subtle toasted oak, and a touch of homemade caramel. |
| Finish: | Smooth, supple, and incredibly flavorful, this is a very serious Chardonnay. Luxurious white fruit, mixed with touches of caramel, lingers with you through the lengthy finish. |
| Pairing: | Fresh fettuccine alfredo, served with clams. |
What the Winery Says
Our first Rochioli Vineyard Chardonnay. This wine has ample sweet French Oak notes over a honeyed apple core of fruit character. A racy acidity ensures the wine will age very gracefully.
90 Point Review - Robert Parker The 2012 Chardonnay Rochioli Vineyard offers plenty of wet gravel-like minerality along with notes of white peaches and honey, an excellent texture and a subtle hint of oak. Medium to full-bodied and impressively made, this beauty can be drunk over the next 4-5 years.
Wine Enthusiast Review Ripe, jammy pineapple, Meyer lemon and nectarine flavors characterize this Chardonnay. It also shows plenty of new oak and lees notes. Rich and flashy, it’s fully ready to drink now.
- Winemaker
- Oded Shakked
- Accolades
- 92 Points - Wine Spectator, 90 Points - Robert Parker
- Appellation
- Russian River Valley, Sonoma County
- Vineyard
- Rochioli Vineyard
- Fruit Variety
- 100% Chardonnay
- Cooperage
- 11 months in 50% new French oak
- Fermentation
- 100 % barrel fermentation, Lees stirred every two weeks
- ABV
- 14.2%
About the Winery
Longboard was born from the passion of Oded Shakked, surfer first, winemaker later, who brings a unique perspective to winemaking, or rather wine growing as he prefers to call it.
A key Oded insight: Surfing and winemaking are essentially solo activities that can reach across gender, social, economic and age boundaries, creating communities of passionate apostles who know a good wave — and a good wine — when they experience one.