2016 Rudy by von Strasser Chardonnay Knights Valley Sonoma County 750 ml

Terroir and Value Collide in Von Strasser’s Chardonnay

Is it possible to score a white wine from Knights Valley, the remote nook in Sonoma County known for producing some of the most sought-after Chardonnays in California, without breaking the bank? If you think of the AVA’s most famous names, like Peter Michael and Luc Morlet, the answer is a simple “no,” as those prized Chardonnays regularly push—and push past—the triple-digit mark.

But renowned winemaker Rudy von Strasser has done the near-impossible by delivering a Knights Valley Chardonnay—a light gold beauty that shows Meyer lemon zest, toasted hazelnuts, a creamy texture, and a long lingering finish—at an everyday price. Knights Valley, like Chalk Hill, is a prestige appellation of Sonoma County, and one whose name alone has the power to make Chardonnay connoisseurs stand at attention. But this price—just $21.99 per bottle on a case—is what will send them running for the buy button.

Rudy von Strasser has a long and impressive history: His three decades in the wine business include time at Newton and Trefethen in Napa, as well as at Château Lafite-Rothschild, where he was the legendary estate’s first American intern. From 1990 to 2016, Rudy produced top-flight Cabernet in Napa’s Diamond Mountain District, the AVA that he helped establish. During his tenure, his winery took home Wine & Spirits magazine’s Winery of the Year honors a staggering 14 times.

As von Strasser’s stature grew, he noticed that stellar fruit from other wineries and growers became available to him more and more frequently. So in 2008, he established his Rudy label, a nimble operation dedicated to seizing upon those opportunities. These wines—tiny, often one-off productions—would not even be available on von Strasser’s website or at the winery.

The 2016 Rudy Knights Valley Chardonnay is one of those wines, the result of top-notch fruit from one of California’s swankiest white wine neighborhoods, that managed to find its way ten miles down California Route 128 into Rudy’s hands. Will he ever get this chance again? No one knows, but if you love the Knights Valley icons, or are just a fan of excellent California Chardonnay, this offer is for you: This is a 100% Knights Valley Chardonnay from the outstanding 2016 vintage, aged in ⅓ in French oak and ⅔ in stainless steel to strike a beautiful balance of Burgundian leanness and California creaminess. Only 400 cases were produced, and we are privy to a small slice.