90 Points: Virginie Boone Wine Enthusiast - April 2020

“The well-established site in the heart of the appellation contributes dark, brooding flavors of baked apple, spice and oak to this richly layered wine, thick in pineapple and crème brûlée. It lurks in acidity, keeping the palate refreshed.”

The 2017 growing season started off as a wet one. Record rainfall through April invigorated the vines and bolstered canopies. Moderate-to-warm temperatures followed, allowing the vines to bloom and mature fruit in a balanced and tempered way. We did apply more leafing in our canopy management to counter the invigorating effects of the rain. All of our Chardonnay blocks were picked prior to the devastating wine country fires in early October, leaving all wine lots free of possible smoke influence. Grapes were picked on September 4th, 2017.

Planted by the Pellegrini family in 1975, today, Olivet Lane is managed by the fourth generation of the family to be involved in winegrowing. The vineyard, which is named for the mature olive trees at the property entrance, is located in the Santa Rosa Plain neighborhood of Russian River Valley, on an undulating benchland of well-drained, gravelly, clay loam soil. The foundation of this wine is the coveted Old Wente selection, a heritage clone that has played a key role in some of California’s greatest Chardonnays.

• composition:

  100% Chardonnay

• alcohol: 14.3%
• cases made:

  72 Cases

• bottling date: 08/13/2018
• aging:

  Aged 10 months sur lie in French oak, 33% new.

• fermentation:

  Whole cluster pressed then cold settled, then racked into French oak for primary and malolactic fermentation.

The 2022 vintage was impacted by a third consecutive year of drought that resulted in up to a 10-30% reduction in yields. The growing season was temperate, which in grape growing means we were on track or ahead of normal growth. Then we saw some heat spikes that prompted our first picks. 2022 was a year for vintage-to-vintage variation and differentiation between vineyards. We harvested seven of the eleven blocks of Chardonnay we have planted at Nightwing. Clones 72, Mt. Eden, 809, 95 and 124. The 72 and 95 are classic Dijon with perfume and structure. Mt. Eden and 809 have floral characteristics that lift the aromatics and 124 is a Champagne clone that holds its acid and brings a vibrant energy. We picked the fruit between August 25th and September 5th of 2022 between 23º and 25º Brix.

This is our third vintage of Chardonnay from Nightwing Vineyard. The vineyard is named in honor of the indigenous nocturnal birds that keep a watchful eye on the land. Nightwing is also a nod to the original guardian of the property, Vernon Morelli, a former WWII pilot who built a landing strip amidst the vineyard. Located in the Petaluma Gap, our new estate vineyard, perched at 1,200 feet above sea level, basks in cool ocean winds and long, sunny days

• composition:

  100% Chardonnay

• alcohol: 14.6%
• cases made:

  119 Cases

• bottling date: 08/07/2023
• aging:

  Aged 10 months sur lie in French oak, 23% new, 23% once-used.

• fermentation:

  Whole cluster pressed and then racked into French oak for primary and malolactic fermentation.

93 Points: Jeb Dunnuck jebdunnuck.com - June 2019

“From one of the Grand Cru sites in the Russian River, the 2017 Chardonnay Kent Ritchie Russian River Valley has a medium gold color as well as a solid bouquet of ripe peach, candied lemon, cumin, and white flowers. It's rich, powerful, and concentrated, with both beautiful fruit and bright acidity. It's a quintessential Russian River Chardonnay that will keep for at least 7-8 years.”

91 Points: Wine Enthusiast

The 2017 growing season started off as a wet one. Record rainfall through April invigorated the vines and bolstered canopies. Moderate-to-warm temperatures followed, allowing the vines to bloom and mature fruit in a balanced and tempered way. We did apply more leafing in our canopy management to counter the invigorating effects of the rain. All of our Chardonnay blocks were picked prior to the devastating wine country fires in early October, leaving all wine lots free of possible smoke influence. Grapes were picked on September 4th, 2017.

This prized site in the Russian River Valley has been farmed for more than 40 years by renowned winegrower Kent Ritchie. The vineyard is planted to the Wente Selection of Chardonnay, which grows on gently rolling hillsides in sandy loam soils with striations of sandstone. The Russian River Valley’s famous clockwork fog keeps this site cool, and provides ideal conditions for growing a classic expression of Chardonnay.

• composition:

  100% Chardonnay

• alcohol: 14.5%
• cases made:

  11 barrels
  256 cases

• bottling date: 08/10/2018
• aging:

  Aged 11 months sur-lie in French oak; 36% new

• fermentation:

  Whole cluster pressed then racked to French oak for primary and malolactic fermentation.

The 2016 vintage was consistent and produced stunning Chardonnay. The clone for this Chardonnay is 809, which has unique, floral, almost Muscat-like aromas. The distinctive aromatic profile found in this vineyard and clone is what prompted us to bottle this exclusive and unique Chardonnay. The vineyard was picked on September 20^th, 2016.

Dale Ricci is a longtime farmer in the Sonoma Coast’s Carneros region. His vineyard lies along Ramal Road near San Pablo Bay, where fertile clay-loam soils and undulating hills combine with westerly afternoon winds to create an ideal terroir for growing Chardonnay.

• composition:

  100% Chardonnay

• alcohol: 14.7%
• cases made:

  47 Cases

• bottling date: 08/15/2017
• aging:

  Aged 10 months

• fermentation:

  Whole cluster pressed then cold settled 48 hours before racking to stainless steel for both fermentation and aging.

The 2018 growing season began with warm winter weather, before things turned cool and rainy in February, which prevented an early bud break. While the rains continued, things warmed up again in March, providing ideal nutrients and growing conditions for the vines. From June onwards, the weather was lovely and temperate, with sunny days and cool nights ensuring excellent flavor development and acid retention in the grapes. As harvest drew near, the weather turned warm providing a final push to ripeness. We harvested these grapes in the cool evening hours of September 27th, 2018.

Planted by the Pellegrini family in 1975, today, Olivet Lane is managed by the fourth generation of the family to be involved in winegrowing. The vineyard, which is named for the mature olive trees at the property entrance, is located in the Santa Rosa Plain neighborhood of Russian River Valley, on an undulating benchland of well-drained, gravelly, clay loam soil. The foundation of this wine is the coveted Old Wente selection, a heritage clone that has played a key role in some of California’s greatest Chardonnays.

• composition:

  100% Chardonnay

• alcohol: 13.1%
• cases made:

  72 Cases

• bottling date: 08/05/2019
• aging:

  Aged 10 months sur lie in French oak, 33% new.

• fermentation:

  Whole cluster pressed then cold settled, then racked into French oak for primary and malolactic fermentation.