Pont Neuf 2019 Chardonnay “Pont Marie” Russian River Valley

Winery Notes: “We look forward to making this elegant and perfumed wine each year. Our grapes are meticulously farmed to the highest standards. Cold fog from the Pacific Ocean, only five miles to the west, tempers the warmth of summer and ripens the grapes slowly and evenly. Powdery white soils provide optimal drainage and allow the grapes their best expression. Harvested at night to preserve freshness and minimize damage to the fruit, the juice was extracted slowly and allowed to settle and clear prior to fermentation. The chilled juice was moved to all new gradually toasted French barrels for fermentation and then allowed to complete primary and malo-lactic fermentation, slowly and naturally. The following spring the wines were stirred gently on the lees. The wine remained quiet, developing for twelve months until it was bottled unfined and unfiltered.”

Tasting Notes: The  Pont Marie jumps out of the glass with stunning peach blossoms, apricot, with hints of lemon peel, and a whiff of crushed stones. On the palate, this luscious wine offers up a medium to full body with great opulence of spicy fruit and a decadent bold and creaminess.  This amazing Chardonnay delivers impressive layers of flavors, finishing long with a honey-nut suggestion. Sourced from the Martinelli Vineyard

CT 95+ Points: “A big step up from the Pont Royal, this has excellent tension, concentration, and length. Notes of honeysuckle, pineapple, white flowers, and peaches highlight a palate with searing acidity, cut, and persistence. The fruit has depth, but it is really the purity and length that show off. Really precise and well-defined. This is very good and possibly better than I am giving it credit for with the 95+.”