2015 Mark Herold Wines Sonoma Mountain Chardonnay

Mark Herold earned a Ph.D. in Ecology at U.C. Davis before starting his career in winemaking. He was a research enologist at Joseph Phelps Vineyards then in 1998 started making Merus, a cult Cabernet Sauvignon, in his Napa garage. Since then he’s been a consultant to wineries throughout Napa Valley and he has continued to make wines under his own name. He is best known for his full-throttle Cabernet Sauvignons, though he also makes blends and whites that are unusual for California. Herold’s non-Cabs include Tempranillo, Grenache, Carignan, Albarino and Verdejo blends. His Cabs, and some other wines, typically earn ratings in the low- to mid-90s from reviewers.

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.