WA: 90
From a terrific vintage, Rombauer's 2023 Chardonnay delivers a classic California rendition, with toasty, nutty accents to the pineapple and melon fruit; some vaguely floral notes sneak in as well. It's full-bodied, plump, creamy, lush and easy to drink, while the long finish is vanilla-stained but remains bright and fresh. To produce this volume (349,000 cases) at this level of quality is a remarkable feat.
For convenience, Senior Winemaker Luke Clayton joined me to taste through the Rombauer wines at the Louis Martini winery in Saint Helena, as part of what I have taken to fondly calling my annual Gallo-fest (family-owned E. & J. Gallo acquired Rombauer in August 2023). "We were acquired about 18 months ago. They've left us alone on the winemaking side, but we've benefited from their research," said the Aussie-born Clayton. And the new ownership "opened up some new fruit sourcing for the Cabs. But for the Chards, we've got our style and Joe [Gallo] said, just keep making great wine."
Clayton's history with Rombauer goes back to 2005 as a harvest intern. Minus a short return to Australia for a stint at Hardy's Tintara in McLaren Vale, he's been at Rombauer for 20 years, gradually assuming more and more responsibility. Much of the rest of the team has similar longevity, he said. Rombauer's Chardonnay was originally fermented in tank and made in a leaner style, according to Clayton, with the stylistic change to barrel fermentation and more richness taking place in the 1990s. Today, it's made in a large, warehouse-style winery near Napa's airport, and the style has moderated somewhat from former excesses.
Rombauer farms 400 acres of Chardonnay and "looks after" 900 acres, so there's an appreciable volume of the Carneros Chardonnay. As you might expect, there's a huge array of clones in that acreage. The fruit is all handpicked, whole-cluster pressed and barrel-fermented and matured in a mix of French and American oak (35% new). It stays in wood for eight or nine months, simplifying the work in the cellar, as one vintage comes out of barrels before the next one goes in. "Twenty-three was very cool," said Clayton. "The long hang time reminded us of the 2010 vintage—a bit more maturity without too much sugar."
On the red side, Clayton oversees production of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir and Zinfandel. An optical sorter was trialed in 2010 and purchased in 2011. "With the optical sorter, you're able to kick out the raisins—you're basically able to kick out the background noise," said Clayton. "It definitely has improved our wines, made them a bit richer and softer." While this is Napa and Cabernet Sauvignon will always receive most of the accolades, fiscally responsible readers won't overlook the Carneros-sourced Merlot or the Twin Rivers Zinfandel from the Sierra Foothills.
VM: 88
The 2023 Chardonnay (Carneros) is the archetypal Rombauer Chardonnay, though it’s dialed back quite a bit since the early days The 2023 is a rich, voluptuous wine with an oily, hefty presence in the mouth. Ripe yellow plum, baked apple and toasted baking spices run through, accented by dill and coconut notes from the American oak. This is a stylized, oak-forward wine, that much is certain, but you can’t fault it for that. Fans of this style will be plenty satisfied with the consistency of this bottling.
Wine Spectator: 90
There's plenty of energy to the juicy and plump core of tangerine, mango and peach. Shows a distinctive spice note, with clove, cardamom and nutmeg making this distinctive, especially on the finish, which mingles seamlessly with toasted, buttery brioche details. Drink now. 349,220 cases made.
