RouteStock Route 121 Carneros Chardonnay 2014
-
Enthusiast
Wine
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Try this wine with fresh sole meunier with a butter caper sauce and asparagus. Delicious.
Professional Ratings
-
Wine Enthusiast
Fresh and complete, with subtle oak and ripeness, this white shines in a lilt of pear, lime and tangerine, showing plenty of minerality. It remains bright despite medium weight. EDITORS' CHOICE
Other Vintages
2018-
Enthusiast
Wine
-
Enthusiast
Wine
-
Enthusiast
Wine
-
Parker
Robert -
Panel
Tasting
RouteStock is an invitation to discover the deep roots of winemaking in Napa and Sonoma, planted firmly at each step of your journey through our vineyard sites. Every glass tells the story of Napa’s remarkable fine wine heritage, from the famous routes that wind between the vineyards, to the roots that produce its world-renowned grapes. An endeavor of enduring Napa-based importer Wilson Daniels, RouteStock is established as a product that consistently over-delivers in quality at a very attractive price point.
At the core of RouteStock is their commitment to sourcing great fruit from high-end vineyards along well-known routes in the Napa Valley. They partner with a select group of dedicated grape-growers in the best viticultural areas for each of the varietals: Napa Valley for Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc, Carneros for Chardonnay, and the Sonoma Coast for Pinot Noir. Like every aspect of RouteStock, these appellations were individually selected with care to put each varietal at the greatest advantage and make the best possible wines while also showcasing their uniqueness.
Work is done hand-in-hand with all of the growers during cultivation season. The winery practices minimal intervention in their winemaking to help the grapes show their true character, using native yeasts, natural malolactic fermentation, 100% barrel aging, and no chemical additions. The intent is to let the grapes and vintage tell us what kind of wine they should be – never try to force the wine into a specific mold, but rather serve as a guide on its journey. Winemaker, Vance Rose, an industry veteran for nearly 40 years, provides s competitive advantage in the vineyard sourcing through the strong relationships he forged during his path to RouteStock Winemaker.
One of the most popular and versatile white wine grapes, Chardonnay offers a wide range of flavors and styles depending on where it is grown and how it is made. While it tends to flourish in most environments, Chardonnay from its Burgundian homeland produces some of the most remarkable and longest lived examples. California produces both oaky, buttery styles and leaner, European-inspired wines. Somm Secret—The Burgundian subregion of Chablis, while typically using older oak barrels, produces a bright style similar to the unoaked style. Anyone who doesn't like oaky Chardonnay would likely enjoy Chablis.
Known for elegant wines that combine power and finesse, Carneros is set in the rolling hills that straddle the southernmost parts of both Sonoma and Napa counties. The cooling winds from the abutting San Pablo Bay, combined with lots of midday California sunshine, create an ideal environment for producing wines with a perfect balance of crisp acidity and well-ripened fruit.
This cooler pocket of California lends itself to growing Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah. Carneros is an important source of sparkling wines made in the style of Champagne as well.