Rombauer Carneros Chardonnay 2024 [375mL HALF BOTTLE]
(Napa Valley, California) - [DM 93] [JS 92] [WS 90]

Notes from the Winemaker:
Pale yellow with a green tinge to the hue. Aromas of yellow peach, mango with a slight citrus note intertwine seamlessly with vanilla and spice. The palate is rich and round, with the mango and vanilla fighting for the lime light, while the cream texture, vanilla and slight butter combine seamlessly. The balanced acidity closes out the finish bringing the multiple components into balance.

WINEMAKING
The grapes were gently whole-cluster pressed while the fruit was still cool.
The juice was pumped to tank to cold-settle overnight before it was racked to barrel for primary and malolactic fermentation. The lees were stirred every two weeks to give the wine rich flavors and a creamy texture.

VINEYARDS
The fruit for this wine comes from vineyards in the Carneros region owned by the Rombauer family and select growers including the Sangiacomo family, long-term grower partners who have farmed this land for three generations.

93 Points - Decanter:
"Melbourne-raised Senior Director of Winemaking Richie Allen first began making this wine in 2004. 'This is what we're known for – this is what we do best,' says Allen, who has been with the winery since that same year. The 2024 vintage, tasted in mid-December 2024, is bright, tightly coiled, and tense at present, but Richie assures me that within a few months it will evolve into the Rombauer style we all know and love. That's because this is a low-sulphite, minimally handled wine: no sulphur is added until a small dose for stabilisation at bottling. As a result, the wine tends to stay wound up for the first six months, before unfurling into the richer, more tropical profile with toasty oak that defines the house style. Ripe fruit comes through clearly, with yellow stone fruit, Meyer lemon citrus, mango, and a creamy mid-palate accented by spice and vanilla from the oak. Bright acidity keeps everything lifted, and during my tasting the wine continued to build in the glass, gaining richness and creaminess with air. The fruit for this Chardonnay comes from Napa and Sonoma Carneros. It is barrel-fermented and aged for nine months in a mix of American and French oak, one-third of which is new." -Jonathan Cristaldi (Feb 2026)

92 Points - James Suckling:
"Classic in every sense, with freshness and purity underneath the generosity and richness this wine is known for. Cookies, pastry and sweet spices alongside ripe orchard fruit, apples and vanilla. The textural palate shows bright acidity and lovely balance, with saline notes and preserved lemons. Consistent and well-made. Drink or hold." -RM (May 2026)

90 Points - Wine Spectator:
"Offers an enthusiastic mix of juicy lemon, white peach, apricot and salted butterscotch flavors on a sleek and juicy frame. A distinct thread of nutmeg and black cardamom, along with candied ginger and clover honey notes, emerges on the vibrant finish. Drink now." -MW (Jul 2026)