2019 The Messenger Chardonnay Russian River Valley 750 ml

The legendary Russian River Valley vineyard behind this NDA-shrouded bottle is so recognizable and famous, winemaker Rob McDonald wouldn’t even whisper a word of description about it to us. 

“If I tell you anything at all, you’ll know the site,” he said. “It’s a well-known vineyard that’s behind many labels and includes very prominent names.”

We racked our brains on Russian River Valley sites. There are only a handful of distinctive, cult-level vineyards we could identify with just a few details, 100-point plots like Aubert’s rock-laden Eastside Vineyard or the sandstone heights of Laguna Ridge—breeding grounds for single-vineyard collectibles and satiny, dazzlingly intense Chardonnay.

With grapes this special, Rob took extra steps to guarantee that the full expressivity of the site came through in the glass. Fermentation occurred in a combination of chilled stainless steel and barrel, 20% new and 80% neutral French oak. This provided three lots to blend—tank, new oak, and old oak—allowing him to seamlessly combine racy acidity with a core of nutty, honey-kissed richness.

A long-time veteran of the California wine industry, Rob managed to get access to a small lot of grapes from this one-of-a-kind vineyard through some right-time, right-place serendipity. In addition to running a small library of his own labels, he was the founder of Old Bridge Cellars—an import business for some of the most revered estates in Australia, including d’Arenberg, Leeuwin Estate, and Jasper Hill. When it comes to New World opulence, he’s one of the best barometers of excellence in the country. And he has a truffle hound’s nose for hidden-gem values.

The vineyard behind this wine rivals Sonoma’s top Chardonnay sites, and today’s release exudes the kind of pedigree that can’t be disguised. At a special rate of just $19.99 per bottle—thanks to Rob’s inside connections—this undercover steal is one of the best white wine deals we’ve seen out of northern California. 

The 2019 Messenger generously showcases aromas of acacia, Golden Delicious apple, and torched crème brûlée—one swirl and it’s clear this wine outstrips the under-$20 competition by a mile. There’s no way to achieve this sumptuous, exotic fruit concentration and grand, detailed structure without first-class terroir and meticulous farming.

Whether you go for one bottle or twelve, the true value is written right there in the glass, in the cool-climate vibrancy and tension that many buyers are willing to shell out big bucks for. Today, you won’t have to. 

This top-secret vineyard is temperamental, so each vintage can bring unexpected surpluses or drops in volume. In 2019, the extra difference went into Rob’s warehouse, and turned into one of the phenomenal Sonoma Chardonnay deals of the year. 

We can all guess as much as we like, yet ultimately, no one but Rob will know the vineyard that created this Chardonnay. But for the chance to drink a wine of this caliber for less than $20 per bottle, we’ll happily live in ignorance.