2019 Bernardus Chardonnay Rosella's Vineyard

Almost by accident the former Dutch racing driver Ben Pon (you know from the Pon family which is importer of VW, Audi and Porsche) acquired a piece of land in 1989 on the Californian slopes behind Carmel Valley Village. Here he started his Bernardus Winery with the aim of producing wines that rival the greatest Bordeaux and Grand Crus.

The vineyards in the Carmel Valley are carefully planted with various grape varieties, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Sauvignon Blanc. While the Bordeaux style varieties grow in the vineyards in the Carmel Valley, the Chardonnay is cultivated in cool maritime climates, namely in the Monterey Bay. Grapes from other California appellations are used to add nuances to the Bernardus blends.

The grapes of the Bernardus Chardonnay Rosella's Vineyard come from a single vineyard, namely the Rosella's vineyard. These grapes were planted by current winemaker Gary Franscioni. This beautiful Chardonnay has been aged for over 15 months. The grapes for this gem are of course all harvested by hand so that only the best juice is used for this wine. Due to the long aging of the wood, the color is deep golden yellow. In the nose we smell spiced apple slices, lemon tart and orange blossom with hints of baked bread, brioche and marzipan. In the mouth, the beautiful fresh acidity stands out with some citrus flavors plus a hint of pimento on the aftertaste. We had never judged this as a Napa Valley Chardonnay when tasting and much more as a crisp white Burgundy.

Fun fact: only about 90-120 bottles of this wine come to the Netherlands every year.