At long last, we welcome back Joseph Jewell Wines, this time with their stupendous and freshly delicious 2013 Russian River Valley Chardonnay, a wine that our entire tasting panel fell in love with.

Today’s special makes this wine a Super QPR (Quality to Price Ratio) steal of a deal!

On the nose, this wine is fresh and lively, with aromas of Asian pear, freshly cut green apples, loquat, lemon, lime leaf, river rock, pear and subtle yellow hay.

Fresh and delicious on the palate, with flavors of Asian pear, green apple, Meyer lemon, lemongrass, quince, apricot, lime flower, pear and the subtlest hint of white pepper at the end.

Winemaker Micah Joseph Wirth is a 4th generation wine producer. He’s the son of Chris Wirth who made wines at Operative-favorite, Preston Winery, when Micah was a kid. Micah helped his dad in the Preston cellar, learning about winemaking in the process.

Micah went on to hone his craft at Chalk Hill Winery and ElvenGlade & Raptor Ridge in Oregon. Most recently, Micah worked as cellar master for Gary Farrell, at Gary’s namesake winery. Today, Micah put his sole focus on crafting some of the best boutique Pinots and Chardonnay in California.

The Russian River Valley, in Sonoma County, produces Pinot Noir of remarkable distinction. The cooler maritime conditions of the region make the Russian River Valley ideal for growing Pinot Noir. The Russian River Valley in Sonoma is particularly well suited to producing exceptional Pinot Noir. This AVA was officially designated in 1983, but many of the wines in the region used the designation as early as the 1970s (early in California’s wine history) with the many of the vines having been first planted in the early 1900s.

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Here’s what the wine press has to say:

Virginie Boone, Wine Enthusiast - “An opulent nose of spicy cherry and cranberry invites one into the glass, before complementary flavors echo on the palate. Earthy forest floor and a piquant structure of acidity give it intrigue and complexity before the wine finishes lean.”