Aromatic, with ripe apple, pineapple and other tropical fruits, and a touch of floral notes. In the mouth, this dry wine shows and elegant use of oak, with hints of vanilla and spice. There are not sharp edges here; the wine is dense and giving. There’s a touch of honeysuckle; butterscotch and lemon zest, apple, white peach, and pear tart fruit. This wine both crisp and rich, medium to medium plus in body and length. Make sure the wine is not too cold when served to fully enjoy its complexity.

WINE INFORMATION

Peter Paul is an entrepreneur and philanthropist. He received a BS from the University of New Hampshire and an MBA from Boston University. He was introduced to fine wine by his father in the 1950s; a white Burgundy and a Chateau d’Yquem Sauternes made lasting impressions. His career took him to norther California, where he explored the vineyards of Napa and Sonoma. He is currently Chairman of Headlands Asset Management and the Headlands Foundation, which works with underprivileged children and families in the Bay area. He is also active in a number of other charities as well. With a retired wine-industry friend, he founded Grove Street Wines in 1999, selling it about a decade later to focus on Peter Paul Wines. Master of Wine Martin Reyes is the winemaker, and the company focuses on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

This is the fourth vintage of the Sonoma Coast-designated Chardonnay. Grapes come two sites in the breezy Western Corridor: Carneros and the Bacigalupi vineyard in the Russian River Valley. Each site’s grapes were vinified and aged separately. The Carneros lot was gently direct-pressed into closed-top stainless steel tanks to retain its lively fruit aromas. The Russian River lot spent its time in new François Freres barrels to produce a balancing texture. Both lots underwent partial malolactic fermentation. The lots were blended and lightly fined a month before the wine was bottled.

Brunch Foods, Cheese, Chicken/Turkey, Cream Sauce Pasta, Fish-full flavored (salmon/tuna), Ham, Lobster & Crab