Amapola Creek Jos. Belli Vineyards Chardonnay 2014
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Robert
Parker
Product Details
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Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
The mouthfeel of this wine is supple and dense, balanced by a crisp, lively acidity. The palate opens with the fresh pear and citrus characters that define the Chardonnay grown at Belli vineyards. As you continue to taste, you will note that the fruit evolves an attractive tropical edge of papaya, blended with a tiny nuance of toasted oak and toffee. The palate leads to a delicate finish of baked apples, spice, and just a touch of honeydew melon.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The two vintages of Chardonnay I tasted come from the Jos. Belli Vineyard in Russian River. The 2014 Chardonnay Jos. Belli Vineyards is no slouch either. Coming in at 13.9% alcohol, there are 420 cases of this wine, which has a light golden color, crushed tangerines and mandarin oranges along with white currant and possibly some quince and floral notes. The wine displays terrific fruit intensity, medium to full body, zesty acidity and a long finish. Drink it over the next 4-6 years.
Other Vintages
2017-
Robert
Parker -
Jeb
Dunnuck
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Jeb
Dunnuck -
Robert
Parker
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Robert
Parker
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Robert
Parker
He and his wife, Alis, founded Arrowood Winery with the 1985 vintage. Each year, they made extraordinary small-lot varietals and vineyard designates. Richard was the winemaster at Arrowood Winery until June 2010, when he resigned his position to devote himself full-time to making wines for his estate winery, Amapola Creek Vineyards and Winery.
One of the most popular and versatile white wine grapes, Chardonnay offers a wide range of flavors and styles depending on where it is grown and how it is made. While it tends to flourish in most environments, Chardonnay from its Burgundian homeland produces some of the most remarkable and longest lived examples. California produces both oaky, buttery styles and leaner, European-inspired wines. Somm Secret—The Burgundian subregion of Chablis, while typically using older oak barrels, produces a bright style similar to the unoaked style. Anyone who doesn't like oaky Chardonnay would likely enjoy Chablis.
A standout region for its decidedly Californian take on Burgundian varieties, the Russian River Valley is named for the eponymous river that flows through it. While there are warm pockets of the AVA, it is mostly a cool-climate growing region thanks to breezes and fog from the nearby Pacific Ocean.
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir reign supreme in Russian River, with the best examples demonstrating a unique combination of richness and restraint. The cool weather makes Russian River an ideal AVA for sparkling wine production, utilizing the aforementioned varieties. Zinfandel also performs exceptionally well here. Within the Russian River Valley lie the smaller appellations of Chalk Hill and Green Valley. The former, farther from the ocean, is relatively warm, with a focus on red and white Bordeaux varieties. The latter is the coolest, foggiest parcel of the Russian River Valley and is responsible for outstanding Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.