Lioco Sonoma County Chardonnay 2022

$31.99

Only 6 left!

Alcohol: 14%

Grape(s): Chardonnay

Localization: Sonoma County, California, USA

Tasting Notes: Aromas of quartz, fennel blossom and pomelo. On the palate, nectarine pit, lemon curds and chervil.

Notes: The fruit was hand-harvested, destemmed, and the berries broken before being pressed (the majority to stainless steel tanks, and the balance to large neutral oak casks). Fermented on the fine lees, with no battonage for 8 months. Malolactic fermentation occurred naturally and finished completely. A gentle cross-flow filtration was performed prior to bottling.

Food Pairing: Try with crab cakes, chicken confit, fregola or clams.

The Domain: Lioco was conceived in the alley behind Spago Beverly Hills by wine director Kevin O’Connor and wine salesman Matt Licklider. The year was 2001 -- and the two colleagues, critical of the heavy-handed wines of the day, wondered if it were possible to make some local wines that favored nuance over sheer power. In 2005, relying on nothing more than their palates and their rolodexes, the two embarked on a winemaking odyssey. Europe was the inspiration, as were the more restrained California wines of the 1980’s.

Today, the winery is owned and operated by the Licklider family. Husband/wife duo Matt and Sara Licklider and their small team produce the wines at a state-of-the-art winemaking cooperative in Santa Rosa. All of the fruit is purchased from family-owned vineyards spanning 200-miles and three counties (Santa Cruz, Sonoma, and Mendocino).

The focus is on Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Carignan from sites with older vines, interesting soil, and heritage clones. Sometimes the hunt for Pinot Noir uncovers other treasures like a coastal Syrah vineyard or a rare, mid-century planting of Valdiguie. Room is made for such discoveries.