Freddy R. Troya

9.4

Ilaria — Chardonnay 2022
Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, California, USA 🇺🇸

Overview
100% Chardonnay from Russian River Valley, crafted by winemaker Anna Monticelli. Better known for her Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and other reds, Monticelli brings a polished, terroir-conscious approach to Chardonnay, giving this wine finesse and authenticity rather than simply chasing richness. Her background includes Château Cheval Blanc, Seavey Vineyard, Bryant Family Vineyard, and Piña Napa Valley.

Aromas & Flavors
Lemon curd, baked pear, yellow apple, citrus peel, and delicate white flowers lead the way, with subtle vanilla and baking-spice nuances adding another layer without overwhelming the fruit.

Mouthfeel
Medium-bodied and beautifully balanced, with lovely acidity providing freshness and tension. A gentle creaminess develops through the mid-palate, followed by additional texture and depth toward the back end.

Food Pairings
Roasted chicken, grilled halibut, scallops, crab, creamy seafood pasta, mushroom risotto, or richer white-fish preparations.

Verdict
An intriguing Russian River Chardonnay that finds a comfortable middle ground between California generosity and restraint. There is enough texture and depth to satisfy Chardonnay lovers, but the freshness and finesse prevent it from becoming heavy or overly opulent.

Did You Know?
Anna Monticelli earned her Viticulture and Enology degree at UC Davis before working the 2000 vintage at Château Cheval Blanc and later assisting at Bryant Family Vineyard under Philippe Melka. That serious red-wine pedigree makes her exploration of Chardonnay particularly interesting.

🍷 Personal Pick
A great addition to Anna Monticelli’s repertoire of intriguing whites. I particularly enjoyed the lemon curd, baked pear, lovely acidity, and that subtle increase in texture and depth toward the finish. It has enough Russian River personality to feel generous, but enough finesse to remain sophisticated and beautifully composed. — 22 days ago

Juan Pablo Perez

9.0

Nariz: limon, toronja, fruta tropical, piña, piedra mojada, algo de grama

Boca: Acidez M+, Alcohol M/ M+ — 4 years ago

Monique Blanchard

9.2

2015 great tasting cab — 6 years ago

William Paley

9.4

beach bliss. piña colada nose, lovely oxidative amber hue, barbecued peach, and a little roasted corn.....I don’t think I could find a better match for this setting - but . remember the light blue Hawaiian Punch nobody liked? I kinda liked it..... — 6 years ago

with Jess and Frank

Jeff Dunn

9.6

HellaGood! Velvet in your mouth. — 8 years ago

Juan Pablo Perez

9.1

Nariz: manzana, piña, albaricoque, melocotón, miel, toque mineral

Boca: medio dulce, Acidez M/M+, Alcohol M/M-. Largo en boca. — 8 years ago

Mike Coffey

Independent Wine Consultant & Sommelier

9.0

I’m a sucker for Howell Mountain so this was a winner for me. — 9 months ago

Ross Dickinson

9.4

Lovely Cabernet that has aged beautifully ! Smooth , well rounded , dark plum color , full nose, and a soft finish that will keep you coming back for more ! Enjoy now ! — 2 years ago

Daniel Jara

9.5

Piña , bouque de auténtico añejamiento, mantequilla , cereza oscura , jazmín . Vinazo ! Súper recomendable — 3 years ago

Adam Kincaid

9.2

A piña colada in sake form - very fun and a big time crowd pleaser! Creamy, smooth, and unfiltered. Medium bodied texture that reminds me of pulpy orange juice. Roasted coconut, pineapple, some grapefruit and banana. — 4 years ago

Paul K

9.5

I’m going to have such a hard time saving any bottles of this for the long haul. It’s amazing now. — 6 years ago

Juan Pablo Perez

9.1

Nariz: manzana, limón, piña, piedra

Boca: seco, Acidez M+, Alcohol M. Refrescante. — 8 years ago

Juan Pablo Perez

9.1

Nariz: manzana verde, piedra mojada, cítricos, piña, algo de grama. Excelente mineralidad para un vino de California.

Boca: Seco, Acidez M+/ Alto, Alcohol M

— 8 years ago

Fred heupler

9.4

Rating: 9.4 — 9 months ago

Adriana Fabbro

9.0

Revisiting an old friend. From one of Europe’s highest vineyards. Pure, clean citrus fruit hits you right away like a freshly melted alpine stream in spring. As the bottle warms up, unexpected tropical notes emerge - coconut and pineapple (aka nuances of piña colada). — a year ago

Juan Pablo Perez

9.0

Nariz: limon, piña, manzana, grosella, piedra mojada

Boca: Acidez M/M+, Alcohol M

— 3 years ago

David Shaw

8.9

Newish vintage, 600 cases produced. 94/6 blend of Grenache Blanc and Roussanne from three vineyards: Boushey (81% GB), Weather Eye (13% GB), Olsen (6% R). Pale yellow white, excellent clarity. Floral, vanilla and mild aldehydic barnyard aromas. Guava, lactic flavors, tropical fruit finish (banana then coconut? But this ain’t no Piña colada). Lingering cherry and heavy (skin and seed) tannic aftertaste . This is either serious experimental winemaking, or ultra craft-focused ‘blanc de noir’, or is this just their iteration of a pale “orange” wine? Massive tannins for a “white” wine. Not a wine for the faint of heart. Dry, just enough acidity, fruity but still pondering this one... The trop fruit flavors backed off, with cherry and other red fruit and Grenache character flavors emerging after 30-60 minutes. Tannins also softened somewhat, with patience — 6 years ago

Zach Jindra

9.2

Lemon curd, lime, banana, green apple chewy candy, piña colada/ coconuty pineapple, green herbs + bit of anis spice. Salty too!

Both creamy + crunchy. Super refreshing with snapping acidity but also mouthcoating creaminess (lil malo?). Touch nutty/oxidative it seems. Perhaps used oak.

Fantastic. 91.5 — 7 years ago

Juan Pablo Perez

8.9

Nariz: Limón, manzana verde, piña, piedra.

Boca: Seco, Acidez M/M+, Alcohol M.

Buen vino por el precio. — 8 years ago

Bobby Gilbane

9.3

I was in the Virgin Islands once. I met a girl. We ate lobster, drank piña coladas. At sunset we made love like sea otters. That was a pretty good day. Why couldn't I get that day over and over and over? — 8 years ago