Lewis Cellars, Sonoma Chardonnay, Russian River Valley

Lewis Cellars · California › Russian River Valley › United States of America

White · Chardonnay

Critics

89 /100

Reviews

professional

Vintages

No vintages

No vintage-specific entries have been added for this wine.

Community Reviews

Reviews

88.8

Avg Score

Highest

See earlier recent tasting note ... Drank BYOB at Carnivore and Queen Support Club, Downers Grove, IL https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2020/02/long-shadows-pirouette-and-lewis.html

2004 vintage

Perfect complement to lobster tails. Ideal drinking window for this is five to ten years. At sixteen, this is past its apex and showing its age turning from golden straw colored to honey brown, and the fruits are starting to take on notes of smoke. This was delicious none-the-less, but time to drink. This is clearly crafted in the California versus the classic Burgundian style with layers of big rich oak, straw color turning dark to honey, medium bodied, note …

2004 vintage

Delicious full bodied Chardonnay perfectly balanced with distinct notes of butter, lemon curd and citrus. Finish lingers on your palate for a minute with a savory butterscotch taste. Every flavor is subtle but the sum of its parts make for a terrific wine.

2016 vintage

Big oaky, buttery, Cali chard. Palate is overpowered by oak and acidity. This one is a miss for me. Perhaps could benefit from 3-5 years in the cellar. Do not recommend.

2016 vintage

Nice balance of fruit and oak. Citrus with melon on the nose. Medium body on the palate. Very nice expression of Sonoma chardonnay.

2016 vintage

Lots of acid, tons of oak. Well made but not my thing.

2016 vintage

This is clearly crafted in the California versus the classic Burgundian style with layers of big rich oak, straw colored, medium bodied, note of of creamy vanilla, green apple, hints of nut and stone, nice acidic balance for crisp pleasurable drinking. Its density calls for drinking with food and was perfect with our buttery lobster. https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2018/06/lewis-sonoma-rrv-chardonnay-2004.html

2004 vintage

Pop and pour. Incredibly smooth with no noticable alcohol or sharpness. Still it’s well structured with nice acidity. Plenty of creamy toasted oak complemented by syrupy/extracted tropical fruits, lemon bar, and creme brûlée. . Again this is cougar juice in the best possible way.

2016 vintage

Bright citrus and vanilla orange blossom on the oaky/buttery nose. Tongue-coating palate with a full mouthfeel. This is among the best Chardonnays I’ve ever had, although I’m not much of a white wine drinker.

2016 vintage

Tashy but past its prime.

2004 vintage

This has come together very nicely and is now a terrific example of big but well-made California chardonnay. Green apple, nuts, vanilla, oak now well-resorbed into a total wine of great balance and terrific density... it's fun with food substantial enough to carry it. Lots of Francophiles would probably not like this, but again, it's terrifically crafted, and either ya likes it or ya don't. We do! (We love white burgundy, too, for that matter... a time and place for …

2004 vintage

Drink up. Clearly on the downside. Fruit is fading, leaving alcohol and tartness at the center

2004 vintage

pgm (below) and I had the same impression of this wine. Big, rich, and viscous. Still drinking well. Exotic but a bit blowsy. A longer finish would have it 90+.

2004 vintage

Connoisseur's Guide gave this one 93 pts and 2 stars, a high rating for them. They noted the "concentrated" "varietal" fruit, "complementary oak" and "touches of stony terroir". Well, this evening it was all vanilla oak. The wine was a beautiful greenish - gold color with a nose of vanilla and flowers, but the palate was like a vanilla creme or something like that. I am more oak-tolerant than some in Cali chards, but this was too much. CG, whose …

2004 vintage

Much more oak present than a year ago. Fruit emerges after about 30 minutes and when wine temp warms up to mid 60's. Not as complex as I remember.

2004 vintage

Butter and almonds on the nose. Medium-bodied, a bit fizzy on the end. Very feminine.

2004 vintage

Buttery, slightly smoky oak predominates on the nose, over candied lemon and orange with vegetal/herbal notes, like asparagus. In the mouth, it's rich and smooth with kiwi, fig, and meyer lemon fruit, and well-balanced acidity and a light but lingering finish. If you you like a well-oaked chardonnay, this will fit the bill. A little time in the glass (maybe even a splash in the decanter) brings out still more fruit.

2004 vintage

Very nice wine. Although after having the Napa, I think I prefer it over the Sonoma.

2004 vintage

Not excaly my kind of thing. Very dry, sharp and long lasting after taste that seemed a bit sour.

2004 vintage