2018 Pedroncelli Signature Selection Chardonnay, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County
Tasting Notes
Pineapple, mango and peach aromas lead to juicy fruit flavors of citrus, sweet spices, pineapple, and toasty oak notes. The blend of the two Chardonnay lots adds both fruit forward qualities and a creamy texture. Highlighted by bright acidity, the wine finishes clean and refreshing. Drink now - no aging required.
In the Vineyard
The Chardonnay fruit is sourced from four vineyards located at the southern end of Dry Creek Valley. The vineyards benefit from the cool microclimate and alluvial soils near the Russian River and produce wines of exceptional fruit and balance, culminating in Chardonnay of great character. Spring rain and perfect growing conditions during the 2018 growing season offered ideal conditions for development in the grapes and, as a result, they reflect bright acidity, high intensity of aromas and excellent quality.
Winemaking Notes
The winemaking goal is simple: showcase the distinctive fruit of each varietal. This focus on fruit is particularly important in creating the Signature Selection Chardonnay. After the grapes were picked between mid-September and the first part of October we use stainless steel tanks to ferment 85% of the wine, capturing the fresh fruit flavors. The balance was separately barrel fermented in American oak barrels and aged for eight months before being combined. The barrel fermentation and secondary or “malolactic” fermentation added some creamy notes giving a boost of complexity to the finished wine.
Specs
Vintage: 2018
Appellation: Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County
Barrel Aging: 15% of the blend was fermented and aged in American oak for 8 months
Alcohol: 13.5%
pH 3.37
Total Acidity: .660g/100ml
Included in the Box
6-bottles:
6x 2018 Pedroncelli Signature Selection Chardonnay, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County
Case:
12x 2018 Pedroncelli Signature Selection Chardonnay, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County
The year was 1927. President Calvin Coolidge captured the imagination of nobody. Babe Ruth hit home run after home run powered by little more than whiskey and sausage. And John Pedroncelli, Sr. bought a vineyard and winery in Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County. Since then, four generations of Pedroncellis have weathered Prohibition, wine booms and busts, and changing tastes. And they’re still a family-owned operation making acclaimed premium wines. Wherever you are now, Sultan of Swat and Silent Cal, this next glass is for you.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations)
2018 Pedroncelli Signature Selection Chardonnay - $15 = 12.49%
Sorry, very brief, having some health problems that keep me from really enjoying this fully, but here’s the quick and dirty.
Pale yellow in glass, bright aroma, first sip: dry, thin mouth feel, bright on the palette as well, some green apple, some yeast bread, mild minerality on the finish, minimal burn, well balanced acidity. Not really oaky at all. Nice aftertaste with a fresh finish. After 10 minutes open, the minerality is more forward, less yeast, little more acidic. The citrus is I think more lime than lemon. This a a great chard for those who don’t like a butter bomb. I actually think it tastes a bit like a good sparkler without the bubbles. Would be great with a light meal or as a summer sipper. I like it better at 55 degrees than 65 degrees, but YMMV.
Can’t find the details but according to Wine Spectator:
88 Points: “Richly spiced, featuring well-knit, medium-grained flavors of pear, apricot and peach. Plush and creamy on the finish, with pastry notes. Drink now.”
And Suckling (who cares?) :
90 Points: “A youthful array of fresh pear and lemon aromas lead to a palate that has spiced-pear focus and a smooth, flavorful finish. Drink now.”
The Fifty Best (never heard of, are we reaching now?? and did they miss a descriptor?) :
Gold Medal. Grapes for this wine were sourced from vineyards at the southern end of Dry Creek Valley, known for alluvial soil and a cool microclimate. Fermentation and aging of 85% of the grapes was in stainless steel, with 15% barrel-fermented and aged in barrels for 8 months before bottling.
Aroma: Golden apple, crisp apple, white grape, star fruit, tropical fruit, lemon, grapefruit, lime zest, citrus, summer flowers, zingy, softly bright.
Palate: Golden apple, Sweet Tarts, citron, lemon peel, honey suckle, vanilla, creamy, light butter, oak, tannins, consistent throughout, summer in a glass, delightful.
Finish: Orange, gardenia, floral, mineral, earthy, medium tannins, complex, balanced, Burgundian, approachable, pleasant, lovely.
Fingers crossed that this actually all comes together, pictures included, as I was having major technical difficulties with my old Mac!
Nice surprise to see that I had a wine delivery coming, as I thought I had been blacklisted after the last calamity, although covid was involved, plus men in brown uniforms…and I after paying for a change in shipment, it still ended up back with Alice…I think?
Anyway, back to the important stuff!
After chilling for a few hours, opened and poured a small glass while preparing dinner.
Color was a beautiful pale yellow, aroma was fruity, peach and slight citrus, I think. First sip brought a light fruity taste with a very slight fizz, definitely not sweet and not too dry, a very light Chardonnay, oak is present but definitely not overpowering, I would prefer more, but that is my taste.
Tonight’s dinner was already planned, stuffed burgers cooked on a pellet grill with grilled zucchini, red would’ve been better, but was actually surprised the smoky flavor from the meat and aged Irish cheddar, it actually brought more of a nutty flavor to the wine. Re-corked and saved for day 2.
Day 2 – Poured a small glass while making a better planned dinner, pasta with pesto and grilled scallops. Definitely picking up on the peach flavor and slight citrus, as wine warms you get more of the oak taste, but again not overpowering.
This paired wonderfully with the pasta and scallops, seemed to cut through the richness of both and balanced out with a light bright freshness, slight fizz is not as noticeable.
This would not be my go-to Chardonnay as I do prefer the thicker oak bombs that I know a lot cringe at, but in for a case as I love Pedroncelli wines, and it was a very light refreshing Chardonnay, great for everyday drinking and you cannot go wrong with the price!
Thank you, Alice and casemates for keeping the faith in me!
…Rosie, looks much better when not blurred in the background
@Polarbear22@rjquillin If you look carefully, you will see that there is a different little grey icon in front of the name – if you hover pointer on it, you will see “Volunteer Moderator” which does include mysterious powers.
Hey kids–really pressed today (see what I did there?) Just coming off vacation and my admin just went on vacation…no download day between. I’ll do my best to hop on to answer questions, but not much time for witty repartee today.
This is a great deal on a great wine. We’ve been drinking the heck out of it at home. It’s lean, yet pleasant mouth feel lends itself well to summertime meals. We really like the fruit and soil to show through in our wines, so no heavy-handed oak bomb here. And the ML fermentation happens to only 10% of the wine (done separately and then blended back in) so no butter bomb either. As always new world wine with an old world style.
Check out all the recipes Julie has paired with our Chardonnays. Lot’s of fun cooking through many of these lately!
PS: I love the easy open container!
@pedroncellifam Couldn’t agree more- an unprecedented price point on this delicious wine, in for a case! This will be our “risotto/seafood/it’s hot and we want some wine” wine. Check out the recipes, some real gems there!
Ugh. I was just at the winery this weekend and did not sample this one. Got a case regardless. Can we get some more reds? Perhaps the new Sangiovese! How about a week of each wine:)
@finewiner
Casemater’s always get club benefits when ordering direct from the winery…buy a case and we’ll include the shipping! shoot Colin a note at colin@pedroncelli.com have him flip all the switches for you so you get your benefits.
@TheOther1
I like La Crema, but it’s more on the buttery/oaky end of things. This chard is very fruit forward instead. Sometimes that fruit forward can come with a bracing acidity in other varietals, but this is very well balanced. It goes down very smooth.
2018 Pedroncelli Signature Selection Chardonnay, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County
Tasting Notes
In the Vineyard
Winemaking Notes
Specs
Included in the Box
Price Comparison
$218.60 at Pedroncelli Winery & Vineyards for 12x 2018 Pedroncelli Signature Selection Chardonnay, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County
About The Winery
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Monday, August 10th - Tuesday, August 11th
Pedroncelli Signature Selection Chardonnay
6 bottles for $59.99 $10/bottle + $1.33/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $104.99 $8.75/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
2018 Pedroncelli Signature Selection Chardonnay
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations)
2018 Pedroncelli Signature Selection Chardonnay - $15 = 12.49%
Pedroncelli chard
Sorry, very brief, having some health problems that keep me from really enjoying this fully, but here’s the quick and dirty.
Pale yellow in glass, bright aroma, first sip: dry, thin mouth feel, bright on the palette as well, some green apple, some yeast bread, mild minerality on the finish, minimal burn, well balanced acidity. Not really oaky at all. Nice aftertaste with a fresh finish. After 10 minutes open, the minerality is more forward, less yeast, little more acidic. The citrus is I think more lime than lemon. This a a great chard for those who don’t like a butter bomb. I actually think it tastes a bit like a good sparkler without the bubbles. Would be great with a light meal or as a summer sipper. I like it better at 55 degrees than 65 degrees, but YMMV.
@mtb002
I see the maker is saying pineapple notes. That explains it, I was having trouble trying to place the citrus/acidity.
@mtb002 Thank you so much for reporting esp. since your not feeling up to par. Nice report. Take care.
I’m a bit light on Chardonnay … if anyone wants a bottle or two, I can spare 4.
/giphy dippy-satisfied-puma
@MarkDaSpark 4 if still availabe. Thanks
@losthighwayz. Done.
@MarkDaSpark A bit light on Chardonnay. What does that mean, you’re down to 15 cases? LOL!
@ddeuddeg @MarkDaSpark Exactly what I was thinking
Pedroncelli…no brainer, in for a case…
dated-famous-kiwi
Can’t find the details but according to Wine Spectator:
88 Points: “Richly spiced, featuring well-knit, medium-grained flavors of pear, apricot and peach. Plush and creamy on the finish, with pastry notes. Drink now.”
And Suckling (who cares?) :
90 Points: “A youthful array of fresh pear and lemon aromas lead to a palate that has spiced-pear focus and a smooth, flavorful finish. Drink now.”
The Fifty Best (never heard of, are we reaching now?? and did they miss a descriptor?) :
Gold Medal. Grapes for this wine were sourced from vineyards at the southern end of Dry Creek Valley, known for alluvial soil and a cool microclimate. Fermentation and aging of 85% of the grapes was in stainless steel, with 15% barrel-fermented and aged in barrels for 8 months before bottling.
Aroma: Golden apple, crisp apple, white grape, star fruit, tropical fruit, lemon, grapefruit, lime zest, citrus, summer flowers, zingy, softly bright.
Palate: Golden apple, Sweet Tarts, citron, lemon peel, honey suckle, vanilla, creamy, light butter, oak, tannins, consistent throughout, summer in a glass, delightful.
Finish: Orange, gardenia, floral, mineral, earthy, medium tannins, complex, balanced, Burgundian, approachable, pleasant, lovely.
https://www.thefiftybest.com/wine/best_california_chardonnay/
fwiw
@kaolis reads like a data point cross reference for machine learning
Fingers crossed that this actually all comes together, pictures included, as I was having major technical difficulties with my old Mac!
Nice surprise to see that I had a wine delivery coming, as I thought I had been blacklisted after the last calamity, although covid was involved, plus men in brown uniforms…and I after paying for a change in shipment, it still ended up back with Alice…I think?
Anyway, back to the important stuff!
After chilling for a few hours, opened and poured a small glass while preparing dinner.
Color was a beautiful pale yellow, aroma was fruity, peach and slight citrus, I think. First sip brought a light fruity taste with a very slight fizz, definitely not sweet and not too dry, a very light Chardonnay, oak is present but definitely not overpowering, I would prefer more, but that is my taste.
Tonight’s dinner was already planned, stuffed burgers cooked on a pellet grill with grilled zucchini, red would’ve been better, but was actually surprised the smoky flavor from the meat and aged Irish cheddar, it actually brought more of a nutty flavor to the wine. Re-corked and saved for day 2.
Day 2 – Poured a small glass while making a better planned dinner, pasta with pesto and grilled scallops. Definitely picking up on the peach flavor and slight citrus, as wine warms you get more of the oak taste, but again not overpowering.
This paired wonderfully with the pasta and scallops, seemed to cut through the richness of both and balanced out with a light bright freshness, slight fizz is not as noticeable.
This would not be my go-to Chardonnay as I do prefer the thicker oak bombs that I know a lot cringe at, but in for a case as I love Pedroncelli wines, and it was a very light refreshing Chardonnay, great for everyday drinking and you cannot go wrong with the price!
Thank you, Alice and casemates for keeping the faith in me!
…Rosie, looks much better when not blurred in the background
@SueBee22 how old is Rosie?
@winecaseaholic 5 months
@SueBee22 Thanks for the awesome report & pics. I’m drooling over the mushroom burger.
LEGOS! EGGOS! STRATEGO! AWESOME!
Meh, why not!
/giphy monstrous-heartsick-gum
Huh.
/giphy terrible-mangy-star
Pedroncelli aka auto-buy! Low on chard and this sounds like a lovely summer sipper. In for a case.
Cheers!
Need Chardonnay. Pedroncelli. Not [edited] oakey. What a win.
@Polarbear22 Not oakey? Stoopid spell-check.
@ddeuddeg thanks. And I can’t find a way to edit.
@Polarbear22 There is an edit option, but it doesn’t last too long. And once that window closes, it’s over.
@Polarbear22 Yup. Posted this 7 minutes ago, and the edit opportunity is gone. It was still there after 5.
@Polarbear22
I was kinda wondering about that ‘Not OK’.
Thought you were just saving $$$.
Now fixed.
@rjquillin thanks. Did you do that? Your powers are mysterious.
@Polarbear22 @rjquillin If you look carefully, you will see that there is a different little grey icon in front of the name – if you hover pointer on it, you will see “Volunteer Moderator” which does include mysterious powers.
@Polarbear22
Those with greater magic have only bestowed me with average magic.
@pmarin @Polarbear22 @rjquillin But if you hover it also reassures us all that he’s still a very mediocre person.
/giphy wakeful-regular-lemming
Ped, you say? Chard, you say? Why, yes please! In for a case.
/giphy buttoned-sweet-wallaby
Hey kids–really pressed today (see what I did there?) Just coming off vacation and my admin just went on vacation…no download day between. I’ll do my best to hop on to answer questions, but not much time for witty repartee today.
This is a great deal on a great wine. We’ve been drinking the heck out of it at home. It’s lean, yet pleasant mouth feel lends itself well to summertime meals. We really like the fruit and soil to show through in our wines, so no heavy-handed oak bomb here. And the ML fermentation happens to only 10% of the wine (done separately and then blended back in) so no butter bomb either. As always new world wine with an old world style.
Check out all the recipes Julie has paired with our Chardonnays. Lot’s of fun cooking through many of these lately!
PS: I love the easy open container!
@pedroncellifam Couldn’t agree more- an unprecedented price point on this delicious wine, in for a case! This will be our “risotto/seafood/it’s hot and we want some wine” wine. Check out the recipes, some real gems there!
Needed some summer whites and Ped. Had to get a case.
/giphy ludicrous-angry-tiramisu
/giphy abnormal-glowing-roadrunner
/giphy handsome-offhand-loon
@ttboy23 Red Green was amazing.
Yeah. It’s hot. Need a summer wine!
/giphy equitable-dandy-governor
Our summer mixed case from Pedroncelli arrived today so I’ll take that as a sign that we need even more Pedroncelli…
/giphy charming-willowy-caviar
Now watch me sip… This Chardonnay-nay… (Couldn’t help it, and probably less embarrassing for me if no one gets the song reference!)
/giphy dark-abounding-crusader
@knlprez
My first thought was Sha-na-na.
I’m dated.
@knlprez I got it! My kids kill me for singing it!
Silento-Watch Me (Whip/NaeNae)
@knlprez you made up for the awful reference with a lights-out giphy
@knlprez my favorite Chard song
@KitMarlot
Awful reference indeed! Doesn’t stop my mind from saying it every time I see a bottle of chardonnay!
@rjquillin
I’m sure I am too dated for this reference as well!
/giphy stinky-drastic-shadow
Ugh. I was just at the winery this weekend and did not sample this one. Got a case regardless. Can we get some more reds? Perhaps the new Sangiovese! How about a week of each wine:)
@finewiner
Casemater’s always get club benefits when ordering direct from the winery…buy a case and we’ll include the shipping! shoot Colin a note at colin@pedroncelli.com have him flip all the switches for you so you get your benefits.
@finewiner @pedroncellifam
Hi Ed.
Great for the reminder of this, especially for newer 'mates and others that may well have forgotten.
/giphy webbed-stimulating-chess
We definitely need a case of this to go with the Florida heat and Rona… Lots of outdoor drinky…
/giphy legitimate-terrifying-ink
/buy
@irenegade
Don’t think that works here, but the sentiment is well stated.
@rjquillin thanks!
Can anyone give me a comparison to something like La Crema, Chateau Ste. Michelle, Josh Cellars? I’ve never heard of or tried Pedroncelli.
@TheOther1
I like La Crema, but it’s more on the buttery/oaky end of things. This chard is very fruit forward instead. Sometimes that fruit forward can come with a bracing acidity in other varietals, but this is very well balanced. It goes down very smooth.
@mtb002 Thank you! I had already bought a case when I posted my question. Looking forward to this one!