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.

Ratings & Reviews

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)

Notes from the Winemaker: 

The 2024 Lloyd Chardonnay comes from Sangiacomo Vineyards in Carneros, a partnership Rob has maintained for more than two decades. Sangiacomo's blocks sit at the cool southern edge of the appellation, where morning fog off the San Pablo Bay keeps the growing season long and the acidity intact.

The wine is barrel fermented and goes through full malolactic fermentation, then spends time in American oak. That process builds the rich, creamy texture Rob is known for. What separates this wine is the balance. Most Chardonnays made in this style sacrifice acidity for weight. This one doesn't. The Carneros fruit brings enough natural acidity that the oak and the fruit hold each other in check, and the result is a wine that's full-bodied without being flat.

If you think you don't drink white wine, start here.

100% Chardonnay. Barrel fermented and put through full malolactic fermentation, which builds the creamy, buttery texture this wine is known for. Aged ten months in American oak on the lees until bottling. The American oak is deliberate, driving the vanilla, toasted coconut, and butterscotch notes that define Rob's style. This is the way Rob has made Chardonnay for twenty-five years, and he's not changing it.

Sourced exclusively from the renowned Sangiacomo Vineyards - longtime partners and some of the most respected growers in California. Carneros, straddling Napa and Sonoma, is prized for its cool, fog-kissed mornings and sun-drenched afternoons. This coastal influence allows the grapes to ripen slowly, developing rich flavor while retaining natural acidity.

Ratings & Reviews

93 Points - The Tasting Panel: 
"Toasty and rich, with spiced pears and coconut cream pie. Golden apple and Meyer lemon are dotted with a gleam of white pepper, lengthening the finish with orange peel and buttered popcorn."

92 Points - James Suckling (2023): 
"This toasty white has aromas of white chocolate, chopped nuts and buttered corn. Clove, too. It’s smoky, spicy and full-bodied with a creamy texture." (Aug 2025)

About the Wine:
Hailing from the coveted Carneros reign, this wine leads with zesty lemon and guava aromas that are tempered by notes of vanilla and caramel covered apples. Delicious layers of nutmeg and crème brûlée seamlessly combine with hints of toasted oak and elegant waves of fresh acidity on the palate, leading to a bright finish.