Tasting Notes
A typical day in Russian River begins with cool fog that fades by mid-morning as the warm sun transforms the vineyard into a warm, welcoming place buzzing with bees. In the late afternoon the ocean air sweeps in from the west cooling the vineyard down. Soils of clay and volcanic rock, carved into rolling hills by the Russian River, are the bass line to the melody played by the sun, wind and fog.
The nose shows notes of honeysuckle, vanilla, and citrus blossom. On the palate the wine has ripe red apple, lychee, marzipan, and a hint of clover honey on the finish. The wine has bright acidity and an elegant minerality. This is a stunning example of an AVA wine made from the top vineyards in Sonoma County
PRODUCTION NOTES
Our 2017 RRV Chardonnay is a blend that includes three of the greatest Chardonnay Vineyards in
California. The wine is primarily a blend of the Bacigalupi Vineyard, the young vines from Ritchie Vineyard and Willowside Vineyard. There is a small amount of Platt Vineyard fruit that provides a thrilling lift to the acidity.
About Flanagan Wines
Proprietor Eric Flanagan
Flanagan Wines was born out of my love for wine. I visited wine growing regions around the world from New Zealand to Greece and I was fascinated by how the same grape variety produced different wines in different locations. This led to an interest in great vineyard sites and a focus on the soils and the climate that made each unique. In 1999 I chose to act on my interest by purchasing 40 acres on the heights of Bennett Mountain and planting our first vineyard. I now produce wines from several of the most highly regarded vineyard sites in Sonoma County. Flanagan Wines is becoming known for making great wines from the best vineyards in Sonoma County.
Winemaker Cabell Coursey
Cabell joined Flanagan Vineyards as Winemaker in 2014. His obsession with winemaking began with a harvest in Burgundy while he was enjoying an undergraduate semester abroad. After finishing his B.S., Cabell spent a few vintages picking grapes and scrubbing floors in Burgundy, and then moved up to Oregon’s Willamette Valley. Following his time in Oregon, Cabell traveled to Christchurch, New Zealand, where earned degrees in Enology and Viticulture from Lincoln University. During his time in New Zealand Cabell focused on cool climate viticulture, which serves him very well in his current role at Flanagan. Cabell has also held winemaking positions at Alder Springs Vineyard, Dumol, and Kosta Browne.
Cabell’s approach to winemaking is to use his senses in conjunction with his knowledge in biology, chemistry, and farming.
Cabell describes his philosophy:
“Winemaking is the culmination of a vast number of decisions. Starting with the site, the farming practice, the response to weather conditions, the picking date, the tank and barrel programs, ferment protocols, and continuing through blending and bottling. It is the daily decisions, actions, and sometimes lack of action that unlocks a vineyard’s highest potential. This quest to reveal each vineyards unique personality, while dealing with the challenges inherent in farming, is what makes winemaking challenging, interesting, and highly rewarding. My goal is always the same, to deliver each vineyard’s best expression in each vintage and to make a wine where the last glass is better than the first.”
