At a glance

Producer

Nickel & Nickel

Region

Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, California, USA

Grape variety

Chardonnay

Wine type

White

Body

Full-bodied and Smooth

Sweetness

Dry

Typical price

$90-120 (USD), secondary market

Tasting profile

Mature notes of baked apple, lemon curd, toasted almond, subtle vanilla, some flinty minerality. May show honey, roasted nuts, diminished citrus lift.

Evolution: Youthful flavors of green apple and bright citrus have softened; creamy, layered palate; oak now more integrated.

At peak: At peak, balance of ripe orchard fruit, lively acidity, nuanced oak, with a mineral finish. Now, expect more mellow structure with nutty, tertiary complexity.

Structure

Acidity

Medium to medium-plus

Tannins

None (white wine, some phenolic grip possible)

Alcohol

Approx. 14.2%

Aging potential

Was best at 3-6 years; approaching the end of optimal window

Drinking window

Peak drinking

2016 to 2018

Optimal window

2015 to 2019

Current status

Past peak, but well stored bottles may show complexity

Current condition

Mature; showing tertiary notes, still lively if cellared perfectly, possible reduction in primary fruit

Russian River Valley Chardonnays from top sites like Medina Vineyard are built for medium-term cellaring (about 4-8 years). The 2013 vintage reached harmony by 2016–2018, so it's now in a mature phase. Enjoy soon for best results; primary fruit has faded in favor of richer, more nuanced flavors.

Food pairing

Roast chicken, seared scallops, halibut with beurre blanc, mature triple-cream cheeses, or creamy risotto.

Serving

Decant

Not required

Sustainability

Sustainability score: 6/10

The producer emphasizes soil health, reduced synthetic inputs, integrated pest management, and water-efficient drip irrigation. Some energy use reduction via solar at main Napa facility. No lightweight/glass reduction; standard packaging.

Nickel & Nickel (parent: Far Niente Family) is known for adopting sustainable agriculture (cover crops, habitat preservation, efficient irrigation) and energy reduction at their Napa sites; the Medina Vineyard in Russian River is farmed sustainably though without formal organic/biodynamic certification as of 2013. No lightweighting of bottles or explicit carbon-neutral efforts in production or transportation. Good stewardship, but not at the leading edge for formal green certifications or aggressive carbon reduction initiatives.