This Russian River Valley Chardonnay shows a green-gold straw color. The aromas immediately lend a lemon citrus core with tree fruits of pear and crisp apple lined with a floral note of jasmine. French oak is slight and integrated as a hint of brioche and toast. On the palate there is a focused purity of acidity with minerality and balance. The finish is refreshing and leaves a lingering round elegant mouth feel.
The Vineyard
The Sling & Spear Chardonnay 2018 is sourced from exceptional vineyards in the Russian River Valley that deliver wines that express the terroir, aligned with the most reputable long-standing farming families in the AVA’s.
About the Winemaker
Outstanding quality is guaranteed by legendary California enologist Tom Hinde and his experienced team of viticulturists. Tom’s expansive career in California wine spans three decades and brings with it a breadth of industry knowledge. He is involved in every aspect of the growing and winemaking process.
Specs
Vintage: 2018
Varietal: 100% Chardonnay
Appellation: Russian River Valley, Sonoma County
Vineyard: Predominantly sourced from Barnwell Vineyards, along with some fruit from Martinelli Vineyards
Alcohol: 14.2%
Winemaker: Tom Hinde
What’s Included
4-bottles:
4x 2018 Sling & Spear Russian River Chardonnay Case:
12x 2018 Sling & Spear Russian River Chardonnay
Price Comparison
Not for sale on winery website, $360/case MSRP
About The Winery
Winery: Sling & Spear
We ventured into the world of wine behemoths to craft expressions of the finest terriors with conviction, determination, and a whole lot of humility. Everybody loves to root for the underdog. The spirit, convictions, and determination to succeed heightens our senses and inspires us. There’s a David vs. Goliath we all can relate to. Our quest lives in our wine.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, 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
@tercerowines That information does not seem to be published anywhere. If I had to guess, I’d say some, but very limited new oak. Or maybe chips as an alternative to barrels. I really don’t know. I don’t know the world of private label winemaking at all. I worked for a printing company in the 1990s that got its name on the label for some Cabernet Sauvignon (produced at Windsor Vineyards). Handed them out to customers.
@tercerowines Larry I’ll toss this observation to you…the back label states this is Estate Grown, yet the label also states vinted and bottled by and they state sourcing is Barnwell and Martinelli…Estate Grown doesn’t jibe with any of that does it?
2018 Sling & Spear Chardonnay Russian River Valley, 14.2% Alcohol
I’m a sucker for a weird backstory. @WCCWineGirl sent me a bottle with one.
Sioux Falls SD local steakhouse teams up with wine shop in a Sinclair gas station to craft a custom-labeled set of wines for the restaurant group out of frustration with the Big North Coast wine distribution cartel. The internet barely knows this wine. (Produced by Pinnacle Brands, the custom label operation of Napa’s Taub Family Vineyards.)
Custom-vinted restaurant wines are not an unusual thing, nor are they strangers to liquidation by Casemates et al. From here, or maybe another online wine purveyor, I bought a few “Brasserie 19” Chardonnays (Houston TX restaurant) early in COVID shutdowns; restaurants with extensive wine holdings were in a real bind.
The temptation to pre-judge this Sioux Falls creation passed quickly. As a Midwesterner myself, I can set aside any prejudice; I am from small-town Minnesota. And wine geeks, well, we are everywhere! If I lived in Sioux Falls, this gas station would be one of my wine store stops, I think. Looks friendly. Looks pretty well stocked. The management seems genuinely passionate if you have questions or special requests.
But enough of this storytelling, which I justify because there is zero known about this ghostwritten wine’s technicals to discuss in its place. Grapes? (It only has to be 75% Chardonnay.) Specific vineyards and estate? Winemaking techniques? Barrels? Stainless? Who knows?
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Ah, new info from the offer! “Vineyard: Predominantly sourced from Barnwell Vineyards, along with some fruit from Martinelli Vineyards.” Well, that’s something. And gotta say, $10 case price ain’t bad at all!
Wine arrived Wednesday after a shipping delay due to severe weather at a UPS hub. Chilled and then left to warm up to 50-55°F. PNP: natural cork removed (really in there tight, just what servers fumbling with a waiter’s corkscrew at tableside love).
Visual: Pristine clarity. Color of pale straw.
Nose: Minimal oak. Generous fruit aromas, a bit tropical in profile (pineapple, citrus). Ripe pear. Lemon curd. Hint of cinnamon spice.
Palate Day 1: Not one to lay down for aging, I think. It is fresh and vibrant on Day 1 for a 6-year-old vintage, so no worries about that. I totally get this as a crowd-pleasing restaurant wine. This is not a criticism. Non-specific moderate acidity gives a good balance. I didn’t perceive a heavy hand of malolactic, which is a positive for me. Good clean expression of Chardonnay. Pleasant finish with slight glycerine mouthfeel.
Palate Day 2: Maybe I’m tasting more malo today, but not what anyone would call buttery. Mouthfeel is a bit more pronounced. The wine attacks the back palate with a burst of fruit. So this definitely did go through full malo, but the result at this stage is subtle, not extreme. Maybe a 1 year drinking window is advised, before the benefits of malo give way to the downside of aging full malo white wines (i.e. that post-finish aftertaste). Plan on drinking most of the bottle the day it is opened. Day 2 is better in some ways, but not all ways. I’m less optimistic about Day 3. So just drink it quickly!
Summary: No flaws; crowd-pleaser; pure fruit. Don’t expect the complexity of a White Burg or top Willamette Chard or a Rombutter. But it’s also not a “house wine”… it seems designed as a value premium wine and is priced accordingly on wine lists (i.e. not the cheapest on the list). S&S is a well-made, easy drinking, middle-of-the-road California Chardonnay to enjoy now or anytime in the next 1-2 years. If you find yourself at Morrie’s in Sioux Falls, order a glass of this to go with the Seafood Fondue shared appetizer!
@baldwino0 Excellent research and now I have a reason to visit South Dakota. (other than Wall drug and the Corn Palace – already did those.) Extra credit for the Sinclair Dino pic!
@baldwino0 When I drive on I-80 through Wyoming, which I do sometimes, the town of Sinclair is the original site of a refinery and still operating. It’s few miles East of Rawlins, WY. (Then like another 100mi to Laramie, and over the hill to Cheyenne).
Always wanted to some day just pull off and explore the old town of Sinclair a bit – to see the history.
Also, haven’t confirmed for sure, but I think that this Sinclair is not related to the right-wing media mogul that controls a lot of local TV stations. You may not know it, but if you watch broadcast TV, chances are one of your 3 or 4 local stations is controlled by Sinclair, but I think it’s a different Sinclair. They are not overtly political unlike Faux News, but when they go to “National Desk” or cover some stories they clearly take a right-wing path.
@baldwino0 UPDATE to post above (was too late to edit). Didn’t want to make this political at all; I know we like to keep this site free from that. Just the Sinclair thing (maybe not related) reminded me that it’s important to be aware of what you get your info from, even if it’s local TV news people you may have watched for years. The influences are subtle and easily missed. Even if the stories are not inaccurate, sometimes I ask “why are they telling it this way” or why did they emphasize that? Then I remember what channel it is on, and tell myself it makes sense now. Not lies, not fakes, maybe not that bad. But it is there.
@baldwino0 Back to the wine, the main point here. (and Dinosaurs). any additional observations a day or two later? The clear pale straw color was encouraging to me. Especially on a chardonnay this age, if it has the deep yellow or amber color, I would be a bit concerned it might have a bit too much “malo” in it (to quote Camila Cabello), but this seems to be nicely balanced still and not in too much “danger” yet.
@pmarin The google says the two Sinclairs are unrelated. The parent company these days is HF Sinclair (NYSE:DINO) The HF stands for HollyFrontier, a diversified energy company.
@pmarin Yeah, that was my sense on Day 2, when we finished the bottle. Malo, but no perceivable degradation from it at this point. Also of interest to me, was that 2018 appears to be the only year they made a Chardonnay, unlike the Rutherford Cab, which has seen several vintages. The restaurant group may have overestimated demand and overbought, so the 2018 is what has been in the restaurants for several years. Presumably (hopefully) the excess inventory has been in temperature-controlled storage during that time, which would partly explain the good, pale color it still shows.
@pmarin I also noticed, in my research, that the bottles of this that are available in retail stores are almost all in Minnesota and the Dakotas. So the local distributors are working the region. I don’t know for a fact, but would assume that like most states, a three-tier system in those states. Although now that I think about it, Minnesota may allow some direct import. Stores like Surdyk’s in Minneapolis have incredibly low prices compared to Michigan where I now live. Surdyk’s compares well to the best values you can get in Chicago.
@baldwino0@chipgreen Yeah and I’d hope that people who watch whatever major service is aware that things will have a certain angle one way or the other. But when you watch your local news people from a studio in town for your “traffic and weather together every 10 minutes!” you might not be aware that incorporated into that will be subtly-tilted one way, in this case to the right: Things about “non-white people doing crime. Allegedly wasteful spending for social services and health care. All EVs are dangerous. There was nothing wrong with big gas cars. Solar power was a failure. etc.”
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations.)
2018 Sling & Spear Russian River Chardonnay - $45 = 27.27%
Friday already? How’d that happen?.. speaking of happening, Wine Enthusiast happened to taste this, saying:
86 points. With a spicy entry of cinnamon and toasted oak, this is a simple, moderately ripe white that is approachable in its softness and depth of tropical flavor. — Virginie Boone (who as of Oct 1 will be a senior editor at JebDunnock.com) 12/1/22
@kaolis Having tasted it over two days (rattage above), I feel like an 86 is pretty stingy. Especially the Day 2 richness I perceived. 88-89 would be fair (maybe even 90). I do appreciate the restraint from score inflation though. Luca Maroni would give this a 97. And the good folks at Last Bottle would have many exclamation points!!! (I kid them, they are good people.)
@kaolis LB did offer Sling & Spear Rutherford Cab in the past, that was def a premium wine (list $125, LB price $39 I think?). So that confirms for me that this was intended to be a premium but accessible label (and accomplished that). The Chard is just $30 suggested retail ($45/btl $13.50/glass in Morrie’s).
2018 Sling & Spear Russian River Chardonnay
Tasting Notes
The Vineyard
About the Winemaker
Specs
What’s Included
4-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
Not for sale on winery website, $360/case MSRP
About The Winery
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, 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, Oct 21 - Tuesday, Oct 22
2018 Sling & Spear Russian River Chardonnay
4 bottles for $54.99 $13.75/bottle + $2/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $119.99 $10/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
Any new oak? How long in oak? pH? TA? RS? Just asking to be helpful for everyone else . . .
@tercerowines That information does not seem to be published anywhere. If I had to guess, I’d say some, but very limited new oak. Or maybe chips as an alternative to barrels. I really don’t know. I don’t know the world of private label winemaking at all. I worked for a printing company in the 1990s that got its name on the label for some Cabernet Sauvignon (produced at Windsor Vineyards). Handed them out to customers.
@tercerowines Larry I’ll toss this observation to you…the back label states this is Estate Grown, yet the label also states vinted and bottled by and they state sourcing is Barnwell and Martinelli…Estate Grown doesn’t jibe with any of that does it?
2018 Sling & Spear Chardonnay
Russian River Valley, 14.2% Alcohol
I’m a sucker for a weird backstory. @WCCWineGirl sent me a bottle with one.
Sioux Falls SD local steakhouse teams up with wine shop in a Sinclair gas station to craft a custom-labeled set of wines for the restaurant group out of frustration with the Big North Coast wine distribution cartel. The internet barely knows this wine. (Produced by Pinnacle Brands, the custom label operation of Napa’s Taub Family Vineyards.)
https://siouxfalls.business/local-idea-leads-to-emerging-national-wine-label/
Custom-vinted restaurant wines are not an unusual thing, nor are they strangers to liquidation by Casemates et al. From here, or maybe another online wine purveyor, I bought a few “Brasserie 19” Chardonnays (Houston TX restaurant) early in COVID shutdowns; restaurants with extensive wine holdings were in a real bind.
The temptation to pre-judge this Sioux Falls creation passed quickly. As a Midwesterner myself, I can set aside any prejudice; I am from small-town Minnesota. And wine geeks, well, we are everywhere! If I lived in Sioux Falls, this gas station would be one of my wine store stops, I think. Looks friendly. Looks pretty well stocked. The management seems genuinely passionate if you have questions or special requests.
But enough of this storytelling, which I justify because there is zero known about this ghostwritten wine’s technicals to discuss in its place. Grapes? (It only has to be 75% Chardonnay.) Specific vineyards and estate? Winemaking techniques? Barrels? Stainless? Who knows?
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Ah, new info from the offer! “Vineyard: Predominantly sourced from Barnwell Vineyards, along with some fruit from Martinelli Vineyards.” Well, that’s something. And gotta say, $10 case price ain’t bad at all!
Wine arrived Wednesday after a shipping delay due to severe weather at a UPS hub. Chilled and then left to warm up to 50-55°F. PNP: natural cork removed (really in there tight, just what servers fumbling with a waiter’s corkscrew at tableside love).
Visual: Pristine clarity. Color of pale straw.
Nose: Minimal oak. Generous fruit aromas, a bit tropical in profile (pineapple, citrus). Ripe pear. Lemon curd. Hint of cinnamon spice.
Palate Day 1: Not one to lay down for aging, I think. It is fresh and vibrant on Day 1 for a 6-year-old vintage, so no worries about that. I totally get this as a crowd-pleasing restaurant wine. This is not a criticism. Non-specific moderate acidity gives a good balance. I didn’t perceive a heavy hand of malolactic, which is a positive for me. Good clean expression of Chardonnay. Pleasant finish with slight glycerine mouthfeel.
Palate Day 2: Maybe I’m tasting more malo today, but not what anyone would call buttery. Mouthfeel is a bit more pronounced. The wine attacks the back palate with a burst of fruit. So this definitely did go through full malo, but the result at this stage is subtle, not extreme. Maybe a 1 year drinking window is advised, before the benefits of malo give way to the downside of aging full malo white wines (i.e. that post-finish aftertaste). Plan on drinking most of the bottle the day it is opened. Day 2 is better in some ways, but not all ways. I’m less optimistic about Day 3. So just drink it quickly!
Summary: No flaws; crowd-pleaser; pure fruit. Don’t expect the complexity of a White Burg or top Willamette Chard or a Rombutter. But it’s also not a “house wine”… it seems designed as a value premium wine and is priced accordingly on wine lists (i.e. not the cheapest on the list). S&S is a well-made, easy drinking, middle-of-the-road California Chardonnay to enjoy now or anytime in the next 1-2 years. If you find yourself at Morrie’s in Sioux Falls, order a glass of this to go with the Seafood Fondue shared appetizer!
@baldwino0 Excellent research and now I have a reason to visit South Dakota. (other than Wall drug and the Corn Palace – already did those.) Extra credit for the Sinclair Dino pic!
@pmarin We had a Sinclair in my home town. Unfortunately can’t find a photo with Dino (we definitely had a Dino). Kids loved to go sit on him!!
@baldwino0 When I drive on I-80 through Wyoming, which I do sometimes, the town of Sinclair is the original site of a refinery and still operating. It’s few miles East of Rawlins, WY. (Then like another 100mi to Laramie, and over the hill to Cheyenne).
Always wanted to some day just pull off and explore the old town of Sinclair a bit – to see the history.
Also, haven’t confirmed for sure, but I think that this Sinclair is not related to the right-wing media mogul that controls a lot of local TV stations. You may not know it, but if you watch broadcast TV, chances are one of your 3 or 4 local stations is controlled by Sinclair, but I think it’s a different Sinclair. They are not overtly political unlike Faux News, but when they go to “National Desk” or cover some stories they clearly take a right-wing path.
@baldwino0 UPDATE to post above (was too late to edit). Didn’t want to make this political at all; I know we like to keep this site free from that. Just the Sinclair thing (maybe not related) reminded me that it’s important to be aware of what you get your info from, even if it’s local TV news people you may have watched for years. The influences are subtle and easily missed. Even if the stories are not inaccurate, sometimes I ask “why are they telling it this way” or why did they emphasize that? Then I remember what channel it is on, and tell myself it makes sense now. Not lies, not fakes, maybe not that bad. But it is there.
@baldwino0 Back to the wine, the main point here. (and Dinosaurs). any additional observations a day or two later? The clear pale straw color was encouraging to me. Especially on a chardonnay this age, if it has the deep yellow or amber color, I would be a bit concerned it might have a bit too much “malo” in it (to quote Camila Cabello), but this seems to be nicely balanced still and not in too much “danger” yet.
We are on the same page, @pmarin !
@pmarin The google says the two Sinclairs are unrelated. The parent company these days is HF Sinclair (NYSE:DINO)
The HF stands for HollyFrontier, a diversified energy company.
@pmarin Yeah, that was my sense on Day 2, when we finished the bottle. Malo, but no perceivable degradation from it at this point. Also of interest to me, was that 2018 appears to be the only year they made a Chardonnay, unlike the Rutherford Cab, which has seen several vintages. The restaurant group may have overestimated demand and overbought, so the 2018 is what has been in the restaurants for several years. Presumably (hopefully) the excess inventory has been in temperature-controlled storage during that time, which would partly explain the good, pale color it still shows.
@pmarin I also noticed, in my research, that the bottles of this that are available in retail stores are almost all in Minnesota and the Dakotas. So the local distributors are working the region. I don’t know for a fact, but would assume that like most states, a three-tier system in those states. Although now that I think about it, Minnesota may allow some direct import. Stores like Surdyk’s in Minneapolis have incredibly low prices compared to Michigan where I now live. Surdyk’s compares well to the best values you can get in Chicago.
@baldwino0
all i can say, I tip my hat to you.
@baldwino0 @pmarin
People believe what they want to believe and generally watch news stations that echo those beliefs.
@baldwino0 @chipgreen Yeah and I’d hope that people who watch whatever major service is aware that things will have a certain angle one way or the other. But when you watch your local news people from a studio in town for your “traffic and weather together every 10 minutes!” you might not be aware that incorporated into that will be subtly-tilted one way, in this case to the right: Things about “non-white people doing crime. Allegedly wasteful spending for social services and health care. All EVs are dangerous. There was nothing wrong with big gas cars. Solar power was a failure. etc.”
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations.)
2018 Sling & Spear Russian River Chardonnay - $45 = 27.27%
Butter me up with this new offering. Thanks team!
Friday already? How’d that happen?.. speaking of happening, Wine Enthusiast happened to taste this, saying:
86 points. With a spicy entry of cinnamon and toasted oak, this is a simple, moderately ripe white that is approachable in its softness and depth of tropical flavor. — Virginie Boone (who as of Oct 1 will be a senior editor at JebDunnock.com) 12/1/22
fwiw
@kaolis Having tasted it over two days (rattage above), I feel like an 86 is pretty stingy. Especially the Day 2 richness I perceived. 88-89 would be fair (maybe even 90). I do appreciate the restraint from score inflation though. Luca Maroni would give this a 97. And the good folks at Last Bottle would have many exclamation points!!! (I kid them, they are good people.)
@kaolis LB did offer Sling & Spear Rutherford Cab in the past, that was def a premium wine (list $125, LB price $39 I think?). So that confirms for me that this was intended to be a premium but accessible label (and accomplished that). The Chard is just $30 suggested retail ($45/btl $13.50/glass in Morrie’s).