Walt Sonoma Coast Chardonnay 2017

“A classic,” “simply delicious” and “quintessential Sonoma Chardonnay” are just a few of the comments and descriptors uttered by our tasting panel about Walt’s 2017 Sonoma Coast Chardonnay. Walt’s beautiful Sonoma Coast Chardonnay entices the eyes as well as the nose and palate. Clothed in a sunlit robe and emitting an enchanting array of floral and fruit aromas in the form of acacia, forsythia and ripe pineapple topped with a faint note of toasted hazelnut, the 2017 Walt Sonoma Coast Chardonnay just about sings from the glass. The wine’s palate appeal is no less attractive with a delightful mouthful of tropical fruit and crème brûlée infused with bright acidity. The wine exits with vivacity, mouthwatering minerality, and a pleasant zip. For optimal enjoyment of Chardonnay of this quality, we suggest only moderate chilling (40°-45° F) in order to fully appreciate the wine’s considerable charms and nuanced flavors. Drink now-2023. Enjoy!

Walt’s 2017 Sonoma Coast Chardonnay needs little to shine. Consummate Chardonnay lovers will want to drink this wine without a morsel, but given the energy and food friendly nature of Walt’s Sonoma Coast Chardonnay it would be a shame not to pair it with cheeses and rich creamy dishes. Fine Sonoma Chardonnays pair best with cheese and creamy foods, making Charleston’s Classic Shrimp and Grits an ideal companion to Walt’s 2017 Sonoma Coast Chardonnay; the flavors and texture in this signature dish meld beautifully with the wine. Creamy chicken stews and vegetable soups served with crusty bread and slices of the finest cheeses make splendid accompaniments, too. Butternut squash soup provides another tasty accompaniment as will most creamy risottos and pastas in rich sauces. The minerality and vivacity inherent in Walt’s wines also make their Sonoma Coast Chardonnay an ideal companion to Oysters Rockefeller and other rich seafood specialties. And for the minimalists among us, who believe less is often better if not more, consider serving only the finest cheeses such as a buttery Camembert, Brie, Cheddar, Mt. Tam or Saint André. For a little more variety, add slices of mountain apples and ripe Anjou pears. Bon appétit!

Walt is an outstanding boutique producer of hand-crafted Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs from a growing number of California’s premier vineyards in Anderson Valley, the Sonoma Coast, the Santa Rita Hills, and Oregon’s Willamette Valley. Walt limits the variables by specializing in just two varietals, which they fashion in small batches.

Walt is owned by Kathryn Walt Hall and Craig Hall. Kathryn Walt Hall has been involved in the wine industry since her family first purchased a vineyard in the 1970s. She and her brother managed the family vineyard from 1982-1992. Kathryn has also enjoyed a distinguished career as a businesswoman, attorney and community activist. She also served as the United States Ambassador to Austria from 1997-2001.

Winemakers Steve Leveque and Megan Gunderson Paredes work magic with Walt’s small, hand-crafted wines. They practice non-interventionist winemaking that naturally allows each vineyard site to express its individual character. Taste and see why critics have been wowed by Walt’s wines and why Walt’s Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs consistently receive 90+ ratings from the world’s leading wine critics.

Chardonnay is the most widely cultivated white varietal on the planet. Twice each year at harvest time in its native France and countless locales on six continents north and south of the equator, Chardonnay grapes command premium prices. In tribute, Chardonnay produces the finest, most flavorful, dry white wines in the world to which writers and connoisseurs devote countless columns and untold hours exalting its virtues and dissecting its flavors. Whether it be from Chablis or Champagne, Napa or Sonoma, or from the most illustrious of vineyards perched atop the slopes of Corton and Montrachet, Chardonnay is the yardstick by which all other dry white wines have come to be measured.

With food, Chardonnay is a peerless match. Chablis and other Chardonnays that see little or no oak provide superb complements to seafood. Fuller, fleshier, and more heavily oaked renditions of Chardonnay, typified by the best Californian versions, can more than hold their own with more complex fare, such as rich cream sauces, poultry and white meats. Moreover, the finest Chardonnays, such as Walt’s 2017 Sonoma Coast Chardonnay, shine on their own, and they require nothing but a clean glass and a reflective moment to be pleasing to the palate.