Gold Medal, SF Chronicle Gold Medal, 96 Points, California State Fair
Tasting Notes
This Chardonnay opens with inviting aromas of creamy baked apples, complemented by hints of citrus and the comforting scent of freshly baked brioche. On the palate, you’ll experience bright flavors of lemon and ripe citrus, seamlessly transitioning into a smooth, creamy vanilla mouthfeel. The finish is long and lingering, with notes of toasted oak adding depth and complexity.
Winemaker Notes
The grapes for this California Chardonnay were primarily harvested from the Mettler Vineyard in Northern Lodi. The cooler climate of Northern Lodi imparts vibrant citrus characteristics, while a portion of the grapes also comes from the renowned Sonoma Valley, enhancing the wine’s overall complexity with creamy vanilla notes.
Food Pairings
This California Chardonnay pairs beautifully with a range of dishes. Enjoy it with creamy seafood pasta like fettuccine Alfredo with shrimp or scallops, or pair it with roasted chicken seasoned with herbs and garlic. It also complements a rich risotto with mushrooms and Parmesan. For lighter fare, try it with a fresh Caesar salad topped with grilled salmon or a charcuterie platter featuring cheeses like aged Gouda and triple-cream Brie. For a more casual option, a bowl of fresh popcorn makes for a delightful snack alongside this versatile Chardonnay.
We are a family business built on generations of experience in the wine industry. It all started with Bill’s Nonno, a cooper. Giacamo “Giac” Isetta excelled at his craft, expertly shaping wine barrels in the 1920s. Bill’s father, Andy Isetta, continued the tradition working at the Christian Brothers Winery and later starting a small winery of his own- Old Pioneer Wine Company of San Francisco. Marilyn’s father, Ray Hulmer, also worked at the Christian Brother Winery as the treasurer and controller for 35 years. It was at the Christian Brothers Winery at Mount La Salle that young Bill and Marilyn’s families met.
Now, our family lives and works in the Sonoma Valley, where the Good Lord has blessed our family with a great life and the fulfillment of a dream… making great wines that honor our family name and ancestors who blazed the Sonoma-Napa wine trails.
Our wines are driven by the outstanding work of our vineyard producers, and great friends, including the Sangiacomo, Cuneo, Mulas, Petroni, Serres, Kunde, Cuneo, and Stemach families. The pristine grapes from our partners, combined with the immeasurable talent of our rising star winemaker Ryan Kunde, result in award-winning wines.
We look to produce wines that are fruit forward, luscious, and ready to open upon release. We focus on limited production, producing Sparkling Wine (Il Vino Frizzante) Sauvignón Blanc, Rosê, Chardonnay, Red Blend, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Our winemaker’s goal is to balance rich, sensuous textures and compelling fruit with the character and complexity that comes from the grapes grown here in the Sonoma Valley.
Capo, Italian for “Chief,” is the product of the hard work of family and friends, and we hope you enjoy the fruits of our labor.
In drinking our Capo Wines, you will find the true meaning of the Latin phrase “in Vino Veritas” - “In Wine there is truth.”
Grazie and Salute!
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NY, NC, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations.)
Capo Isetta Chardonnay - $30 = 20.00%
I was lucky enough to get selected as a lab rat for today’s offer. It’s always a treat, and today I’m reviewing the Capo Isetta 2023 California Chardonnay.
The first thing I notice after opening the bottle and pouring a glass is the aroma. This is a little more fragrant than most Chardonnay, I think. I get a lot of herbaceousness, and a hint of fruit behind that. By the nose alone, I might have guessed this was Sauvignon Blanc… at least, I haven’t had a Chardonnay with herbal notes like this.
It’s clear and a very light straw color in the glass. I like to usually include a picture of the wine in glass, so you can get a sense of the color. This one’s light enough I found it hard to get good lighting for the color, but against a paper backdrop you can see it a little…
The flavor is bright, crisp, and fruity. It’s got a good pop (lively acidity, I mean), and some creaminess. This is more characteristic of Chardonnay as I understand it. I’d guessed that it had seen some oak, but not a lot. Above it says 25% new oak, and I’d speculate maybe only a couple months, at that. But I’m no expert.
This capo is relatively simple, but a well-made wine, and I think approachable. At 14.1 it feels a little heavy to be an easy drinker, but it does go down easy. I personally really enjoyed the herbal notes in the aroma.
Incidentally, the bottle is practically a feather: empty it’s only 398g. This may be one of the lightest wine bottles I’ve seen.
As always, thank you Casemates for the opportunity to be a lab rat! I hope this review helps!
Well it’s a Monday Wine Spectacle, I mean Spectator:
87 points. An appealing mix of ripe melon, apricot and dried mango notes is fresh and ripe, with spice, marmalade and lemon curd flavors on a plump, juicy frame. Drink now. 2,500 cases made. MaryAnn Worobiec
12/16/24
First, a thousand pardons – I’ve never been late for a Rat report – ever! Crazy week recovering from Chantal in central NC.
We received the wine on Friday, after jumping through the UPS hoops to get it to a pickup location. We are not overly big fans of Chardonnay, having grown up in the 80’s with all the oaky, buttery stuff that California foisted upon us (no offense intended – y’all know it happened!) But occasionally we’ve come across some really great offerings, so I have come to approach the varietal with a neutral position to see what it has to offer.
With this lead time, we had a chance to come up with a suitable menu. We elected for the DW’s best-ever Chicken tetrazzini – a creamy, cheesy herbal blessing for the dinner table. It should be an instant magical pairing.
So, into the fridge till dinner.
No pop and pour – crack open and pour! No biggie – I don’t mind, and the DW loves the convenience. No descriptions on the bottle as to what the consumer might expect, the QR code on the bottle takes you to the website, which provides the exact same non-descriptive information as on the bottle. List prices is $20 on the website.
It has the expected straw color - medium to heavy, in my estimation.
On the nose: herbal and floral notes, nothing specific, maybe honeysuckle, honeydew melon. No discernable oak, and certainly no butter. It gives a foreshadowing of sweetness.
On the palate: Sweet, acidic, almost off-putting, no real fruit coming through. Definitely not a porch pounder, so my fall back is, “It will be better with food”.
And it was. With the entrée it came together. A time for aeration helped, which I didn’t think was normal for a white wine. Definitely letting it come closer to 55-60 degrees helped (which IS normal for white wine!).
For my personal preferences, especially for a white wine, and more especially in the summer, I don’t prefer a wine that is a so one dimensional – with food only (YMMV). I wouldn’t just pour a glass of this to sit on the deck with the DW, without some significant cheese and possibly meat accompaniments – it’s that acidic. Again, if your flavor preferences run towards that way, then this might be a contender.
2023 Capo Isetta Chardonnay, California
Gold Medal, SF Chronicle
Gold Medal, 96 Points, California State Fair
Tasting Notes
Winemaker Notes
Food Pairings
Specs
What’s Included
6-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
$240.00/Case for 12x 2023 Capo Isetta Chardonnay, California at Capo Isetta Winery
About The Winery
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NY, NC, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Monday, Aug 11 - Tuesday, Aug 12
2023 Capo Isetta Chardonnay
6 bottles for $74.99 $12.50/bottle + $1.33/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $119.99 $10/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations.)
Capo Isetta Chardonnay - $30 = 20.00%
Hello hello, 'mates!
I was lucky enough to get selected as a lab rat for today’s offer. It’s always a treat, and today I’m reviewing the Capo Isetta 2023 California Chardonnay.
The first thing I notice after opening the bottle and pouring a glass is the aroma. This is a little more fragrant than most Chardonnay, I think. I get a lot of herbaceousness, and a hint of fruit behind that. By the nose alone, I might have guessed this was Sauvignon Blanc… at least, I haven’t had a Chardonnay with herbal notes like this.
It’s clear and a very light straw color in the glass. I like to usually include a picture of the wine in glass, so you can get a sense of the color. This one’s light enough I found it hard to get good lighting for the color, but against a paper backdrop you can see it a little…
The flavor is bright, crisp, and fruity. It’s got a good pop (lively acidity, I mean), and some creaminess. This is more characteristic of Chardonnay as I understand it. I’d guessed that it had seen some oak, but not a lot. Above it says 25% new oak, and I’d speculate maybe only a couple months, at that. But I’m no expert.
This capo is relatively simple, but a well-made wine, and I think approachable. At 14.1 it feels a little heavy to be an easy drinker, but it does go down easy. I personally really enjoyed the herbal notes in the aroma.
Incidentally, the bottle is practically a feather: empty it’s only 398g. This may be one of the lightest wine bottles I’ve seen.
As always, thank you Casemates for the opportunity to be a lab rat! I hope this review helps!
@worbx thoughtful well written informative review. thanks
I can’t purchase without knowing @petitesirah opinion
@CruelMelody Just a stream of unfiltered invective
Well it’s a Monday Wine Spectacle, I mean Spectator:
87 points. An appealing mix of ripe melon, apricot and dried mango notes is fresh and ripe, with spice, marmalade and lemon curd flavors on a plump, juicy frame. Drink now. 2,500 cases made. MaryAnn Worobiec
12/16/24
$8.99 at Bottle Barn if you’re that way
fwiw
2023 Capo Chardonnay
First, a thousand pardons – I’ve never been late for a Rat report – ever! Crazy week recovering from Chantal in central NC.
We received the wine on Friday, after jumping through the UPS hoops to get it to a pickup location. We are not overly big fans of Chardonnay, having grown up in the 80’s with all the oaky, buttery stuff that California foisted upon us (no offense intended – y’all know it happened!) But occasionally we’ve come across some really great offerings, so I have come to approach the varietal with a neutral position to see what it has to offer.
With this lead time, we had a chance to come up with a suitable menu. We elected for the DW’s best-ever Chicken tetrazzini – a creamy, cheesy herbal blessing for the dinner table. It should be an instant magical pairing.
So, into the fridge till dinner.
No pop and pour – crack open and pour! No biggie – I don’t mind, and the DW loves the convenience. No descriptions on the bottle as to what the consumer might expect, the QR code on the bottle takes you to the website, which provides the exact same non-descriptive information as on the bottle. List prices is $20 on the website.
It has the expected straw color - medium to heavy, in my estimation.
On the nose: herbal and floral notes, nothing specific, maybe honeysuckle, honeydew melon. No discernable oak, and certainly no butter. It gives a foreshadowing of sweetness.
On the palate: Sweet, acidic, almost off-putting, no real fruit coming through. Definitely not a porch pounder, so my fall back is, “It will be better with food”.
And it was. With the entrée it came together. A time for aeration helped, which I didn’t think was normal for a white wine. Definitely letting it come closer to 55-60 degrees helped (which IS normal for white wine!).
For my personal preferences, especially for a white wine, and more especially in the summer, I don’t prefer a wine that is a so one dimensional – with food only (YMMV). I wouldn’t just pour a glass of this to sit on the deck with the DW, without some significant cheese and possibly meat accompaniments – it’s that acidic. Again, if your flavor preferences run towards that way, then this might be a contender.
Cheers!
@Kraxberger Yeah, I was disappointed the QR code didn’t point to a wine-specific page. Too few wineries bother with that.
Nice rat report! It’s always interesting to see how different people interpret the wine.