Pahlmeyer was founded in the mid-1980s when Jayson Pahlmeyer, a Bay Area lawyer, decided he preferred thinking about wine over reading legal briefs. Pahlmeyer produced its debut vintage in 1986.
The wines are crafted from fruit grown on the family’s Waters Ranch Vineyard high above Napa Valley, Wayfarer Vineyard on the Sonoma Coast as well as purchased fruit from well established vineyards. The winemaking team is comprised of Kale Anderson who is Director of Winemaking for the Napa Valley vineyard and operations, and Bibiana González Rave as Consulting Winemaker overseeing the Sonoma Coast vineyard and operations.
The fruit for the 2004 Sonoma Coast Chardonnay was sourced from Ritchie Vineyard which is also a fruit source for Aubert. The wine is lightly straw colored. The nose is subdued with aromas of apples, marshmallow, tropical fruits and vanilla. Brioche, butterscotch, pineapple, citrus and more apple on the palate. Rich, oily and delicious with just the right amount of acidity. The finish is long, fresh and a little bit tart.
My rating: 92 points.
The 2010 version of this wine is available online through the winery and should be fairly easy to find at retail, too.
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