2020 Raen Fort Ross-Seaview Charles Ranch Vineyard Chardonnay

Raen is a new boutique producer with a distinguished pedigree. It was founded in 2013 by brothers Carlo and Dante Mondavi, grandsons of Robert Mondavi – the man generally thought of as the father of modern, high-quality California winemaking. Their father is Tim Mondavi, who for much of his life ran the winemaking side of the Mondavi empire. Dante and Carlo followed the family winemaking tradition by studying winemaking in Europe and California before coming back to work at family enterprises, including Opus One and Continuum. At Raen they are focused on producing Pinot Noir from the western hills of the Sonoma Coast.

Sonoma County is not an AVA, but it is a commonly used informal designation for wines made outside of more specific AVAs within Sonoma, which is a large wine producing region just west of Napa Valley. Though Sonoma is often overshadowed by its glamorous neighbor Napa Valley, it has a long history of wine production. The area specialized in jug wine until the mid-20th century, when Sonoma producers took a cue from Napa and started improving quality. Unlike Napa, where Cabernet Sauvignon is king, Sonoma specialized in Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Zinfandel, though excellent Cabs are produced too. There are at present 16 AVAs within Sonoma County, and, like much of the West Coast of the United States, new AVAs are created in Sonoma County with regularity. Some Sonoma appellations, such as the Russian River Valley, are renowned for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

This white variety originated in Burgundy, but is now grown around the world. Its flexibility to thrive in many regions translates to wide flavor profile in the market. Chardonnay is commonly used in making Champagne and sparkling wines.