IT'S ALL IN THE DETAILS

A  heady mixture of lemon custard and baked pear marks the entry to this full-bodied, deliciously decadent wine, from a high-elevation site above the Petaluma Gap. Honeyed aromas maintain themselves in the glass, accented in floral honeysuckle and ginger. Lovely and generous, it softens as it goes.

It exemplifies the power, the symbiosis with the pervasive use of oak, and the winemaker’s craft in its explosive fruit, tacky phenolic screeds on the palate and long finish.

Pellet’s 2014 Chardonnay is laced with tropical fruit, orange blossom, mint, vanillin and buttery notes. Despite its richness, this barrel-fermented Chardonnay retains good brightness and freshness, not to mention impeccable overall balance.