2024 Hartford Court - Chardonnay Russian River Valley (750ml)

Hartford Family Wines was founded in the early 1990s by Don and Jennifer Hartford, drawn to the Russian River Valley by their love of the region's wines, people, and singular vineyard sites. Based in the Sonoma County town of Forestville, just a short drive from the cool Pacific coastline, the family produces small-lot, single-vineyard Pinot Noir and Chardonnay under the Hartford Court label, each bottling meant to reflect the specific character of its site.

This Chardonnay is sourced from a collection of small vineyards scattered across the Russian River Valley AVA, blending fruit from Hartford's own estate parcels, including Jennifer's, Fog Dance, Bellflower, and Arrendell, with a handful of neighboring sites. Together these varied plots capture the interplay of soil, slope, and exposure that defines this cool-climate appellation, resulting in a wine of notable finesse for an appellation-level bottling.

Aromas of white flowers, citrus oil, and apricot lead into flavors of nectarine, lemon drop, and grilled pineapple, with subtle minerality and a touch of crystallized ginger on the finish. Graceful acidity carries the wine to a long, polished close. Pair it with grilled shrimp skewers, roasted turkey, or a nutty aged Comté.