2023 Rombauer Vineyards Chardonnay Carneros 750 ml

Is there a Chardonnay more iconic than Rombauer?

Boldly fruited, rich, and soft, it’s been a standout for over four decades. Wine Spectator declared “Rombauer defines the California Chardonnay style that so many adore,” and the bottling has landed on their prestigious Top 100 list multiple times.

But here’s what matters to us: Wine Access members rank Rombauer as one of their top Chardonnays. We can’t remember a time when it wasn’t one of the top scorers at year's end, and the last couple of vintages have racked up 4.8, 4.4, and 4.6 stars—one member declared it, “Everything a Chardonnay should be. Drop the mic.” 

It’s easy to take the dominance of California Chardonnay today for granted, but the grape’s fantastic success here was due in large part to individuals like Koerner Rombauer, who bought his Napa property in 1972. When he built his winery, it served as a nursery for a number of up-and-coming brands that would one day become legacies, including Spottswoode, Duckhorn, Dominus, and Neyers.

Today, this Carneros Chardonnay is as good as it’s ever been. A mix of sustainably farmed estate-grown grapes and some from select growers like the third-generation Sangiacomo family undergo a gentle whole-cluster pressing to preserve the delicate aromatics, while stirring of the lees every two weeks lends a rich lusciousness. Gorgeous floral notes of acacia and honeysuckle waft alongside golden apple and toasted hazelnut, while the creamy and textured palate concludes in a long finish.

Much of Rombauer’s popularity was built on the back of this Carneros bottling. It’s a California classic that more than lives up to the standards set by its predecessors.