Popcorn Chardonnay 2014
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Popcorn Chardonnay is a pairs perfectly with lobster with fresh herbs and drawnbutter or pan roasted salmon with grilled asparagus.
Winemaker, Alison Crowe, is a California native who credits much of her decision to become a winemaker to growing up on the Santa Barbara coast, just next door to wine country. Blessed with a family that loves to cook and celebrate with the food and wines of the Central Coast, Alison has always had an appreciation for the produce of California’s farms and fields.
After deciding to become a winemaker, Richard Bruno attended UC Davis to learn Viticulture & Enology in 1994 and graduated in 1997. Richard worked for various wineries from Santa Cruz to Napa Valley and as an independent wine consultant in California and Colorado. Richard was the Director of Winemaking for Don Sebastiani & Sons for eight years and has consulted for various wineries including Niebaum- Coppola and Michael Pozzan Winery in the Napa Valley. Along with Winemaker Alison Crowe, Richard is the consulting winemaker for the new brand Popcorn Chardonnay, developed by Celebrity Chef, R.C. Mills.
California’s most praised white wine, Chardonnay is also the state’s most planted white grape variety. Diverse terrain and microclimates allow for an incredible range of wine styles.
Chardonnay planted in the cooler, coastal zones takes on bright characteristics like lemon zest, key lime, green apple and wet flint. For this style, look to the chilly Sonoma Coast, Carneros, Santa Cruz Mountains, Santa Lucia Highlands and Edna Valley.
The inland zones of California’s coast, such as the Russian River, Sonoma, Napa and Livermore Valleys maintain a more Goldilocks-esque climate where both styles go. Early picking retains acidity and creates a leaner style but leaving the grapes to hang creates an approachable Chardonnay, balancing richness and finesse.
Chardonnay also plays a major part in the sparkling wine production of the Anderson Valley and Carneros.