2015 Paradise Ridge Barrel Select Chardonnay Russian River Valley 750 ml

Our friends at Paradise Ridge in the Russian River Valley have a good thing going: Their opulent Chardonnay rarely escapes the tasting room, and they save just a few cases for the winery library. They normally impress us with their stylish, balanced wines, but on our last visit in February, all we could talk about was their creamy, citrus-scented 2015 Barrel Select Chardonnay. 

Usually, the only way to get their Barrel Select is to visit their tasting room—only you’ll be paying nearly twice as much, and not likely to see this 2015 release, which was down to a few cases set aside for “personal consumption.” This lush and toasty back-vintage release is a steal—high-quality Russian River Chardonnay at this price just doesn't happen that often. 

Paradise Ridge, which has been in the Byck family for 40 years, is one of our favorite stops when we pass through the Russian River. Usually, we show up when the 2pm sun is burning strong, but inevitably their Chardonnay pulls us in and by late afternoon, the fog has us racing to find the jackets that we forgot in the car. The Chardonnay grapes do the same dance—ripening to round texture in the day but cooling down to retain vibrant acidity in the evening.

When we walked the vineyards with winemaker Dan Barwick, he described how he balances all the influences to make a wine that is “old world in style, but with all the comforts of California.” These perfectly balanced grapes were 100% barrel-fermented, adding toasty and rich complexity to the golden 2015.

This 2015 release is a blend of two family vineyards and what Vinous called a "sensational" vintage. Bazzano Vineyard is in the heart of the Russian River Valley in the low-lying Santa Rosa plain, where early morning fog coupled with the late-ripening Martini Chardonnay Clone lead to immensely flavorful and concentrated berries. Peter's Vineyard, just southwest of Sebastopol, is planted on the region's prized Goldridge soil, which is known to give local grapes vibrant and fresh aromas. 

When Walter Byck first discovered this 155-acre property in 1978, he knew he stumbled into Paradise. The family has since grown to gargantuan local presence. Standing with Walter’s son and current co-owner Rene at the hilltop ranch, glasses in hand, we understood Walter’s fervor for the land, as we watched the Pacific fog take over the towering mountains in the distance. 

You're not likely to find a better deal on Paradise.