2022 Foppiano Vineyards Chardonnay Russian River Valley 750 ml

Foppiano’s Chardonnay was estate-grown on prime vineyards in the Russian River Valley—California’s Chardonnay holy land—and given a no-expense-spared treatment in the cellar. That means whole-cluster pressing to preserve the purity of the fruit flavors, labor-intensive barrel-fermentation to imbue the wine with gorgeous texture, then aging in 45% new French oak for an opulent finish.  

In 1896—five generations of Foppianos ago—the world had not realized what a grape-growing hotbed Russian River would become. But the family of Italian immigrants knew prime viticultural land when they saw it, so they purchased 160 acres just north of Windsor, some of it practically overlooking the Russian River itself. In doing so, they secured their family a future in wine that weathered Prohibition and proved a massive boon, as grape-growing and winemaking have exploded in Sonoma.

Today, the family’s legacy is in the hands of Paul Foppiano, who has developed an intimate knowledge of their sites since he began working as a viticulturist at the winery, in 1999. As the man in charge of vineyard management, he ensures that perfectly ripe clusters of golden Chardonnay arrive at the winery in pristine condition.

In 2022—a year with “plenty of stunning wines,” according to Vinous—Paul had a warm vintage to work with, and he shepherded his vines through the heat of summer. The harvest started earlier than usual due to the warm autumn weather, leading to fantastic phenolic ripeness and smaller yields of high-quality grapes showing exceptional concentration. The result is the kind of elegant, rich Chardonnay that made the Russian River famous.