Winemaker Notes
Critical Acclaim
All VintagesEnhanced by notes of chervil, oregano, and chamomile, luscious lemon meringue defines the mid-palate. Crushed stone, white pepper, vibrant minerality, and a spark of acidity amount to just the right Rx for great food pairing.
At this point, Rob decided to become a Winemaker, so his next step was to enroll in the Enology program at the University of California, Davis where he obtained his Masters Degree in Enology in 1999. During his schooling, Rob interned at Kent Rasmussen Winery, gaining first hand knowledge about winemaking while at Davis.
After graduating, Rob became the Enologist and then Assistant Winemaker at La Crema in Sonoma. Returning to the Napa Valley, he joined Rombauer Vineyards in 2001, as Assistant Winemaker and then Winemaker until his resignation in mid-2008. While at Rombauer, the winery received many new accolades and awards for their wines including being named by Wine Spectator as one of the Top 100 wines in the world in 2007.
With the desire to assist vineyard owners in creating the finest wines from their grapes, Rob established Lloyd Wine Consulting and now works with his clients to craft world-class wines. Rob is passionate about maximizing the potential of each vineyard and translating this into outstanding and unique wines.
The vineyards just inland from the Sacramento River Delta, along the deep banks of the Sacramento River, comprise the Clarksburg AVA. The River Delta channels in cold air and fog from the Pacific Ocean creating a cooling effect in this area. Warm summer days quickly change to chilly evenings and make a great environment for grape growing. While a range of grape varieties grow here, Chenin blanc stands out the most, distinguishing itself in the appellation.
The Clarksburg Wine Growers and Vintners Association, made up of nearly 50 grower members and over a dozen wineries, has been working since the late 1980s to promote the high quality wine of its region.
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.