2012 Morlet Family Vineyards Coup de Coeur Chardonnay

Morlet Family Vineyards in St. Helena is truly a Franco-American enterprise. The estate was founded in 2006 when Luc and Jodie Morlet began making their own wine. But the roots of the estate go back generations to the Champagne region of France, where Luc Morlet grew up working on his family’s Pinot Noir and Champagne domaine. Luc later earned degrees in enology and business, and worked at wine estates in all the regions of France before moving to Napa Valley in 1993 to work as a winemaker. He met and married Jodi, a Californian, and worked for Napa’s Newton Vineyard and Peter Michael Winery before starting his own production. The Morlets own eight acres and have leases on another 12 acres. Their very limited production Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon have won outstanding reviews from wine writers. Robert M. Parker Jr. rated a recent Morlet Chardonnay at 96-100 pts and said it “may be one of the all-time great Chardonnays ever made in California.”

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.