94pts Jeb Dunnuck

The bright silver/yellow 2021 Chardonnay Nancie is fresh with aromas of waxy citrus, melon rind, yellow apple, delicate baking spice, and almond. Full-bodied, it has a lovely viscous feel and fresh acidity that seams through the wine. Long on the palate, with a weightless feel, it’s going to drink fantastically over the next 10 years.

93pts Wine Enthusiast

Focused aromas of popcorn, flint and green apple jump from the glass on the nose of this Chardonnay. The palate brings vibrant nectarine and apple flavors, with echoes of pithy Meyer lemon, stony minerality and orange blossom lifting across the very long finish.

93pts James Suckling

Fruity, fluid and elegant, with good layers of pears, apples and light oak spices on a full body. Made from good vineyards in Russian River Valley, Sonoma Mountain, and Knights Valley. Very creamy and fine, with subtle mineral and toasted almond flavors. Drink now or hold.

93pts Vinous

The 2021 Chardonnay Nancie is a very pretty, understated wine. The blend of sites from Sonoma Valley, Knights Valley and Russian Rive Valley works so well. Bright floral accents and a kick of reduction give the aromatics lovely presence. Hints of apricot, chamomile, dried flowers, spice and a kiss of French oak open with some coaxing. The 2021 is beautifully done. 

Tasting Notes

On the nose, the Nancie Chardonnay opens with nutmeg, ginger snap, and chai spice leading to high-tone fruit like red apple skin, orange blossom, orchard fruit, and green pineapple. Judicious acidity makes this a great candidate for pairing with food. It’s very fresh on the palate, engaging, and invigorating, and it has quite a finish for Chardonnay. This is a stand-out wine among its peers, with one foot in California, and one foot in the old world.

About the Wine

Named after Joe Donelan’s mother, the Nancie Chardonnay is our take on cool-climate, timeless Chardonnay. We love the way Nancie captures the classic qualities of Chardonnay while also exhibiting the unique traits of the unusual sites we source from. This Chardonnay is an emphasis on Old Vines, dry farming, and California heritage clones and selections. Every vintage embodies elegance and class, but no vintage is the same. The assemblage changes every year, so Nancie does not have a recipe. This wine lets us sit shotgun while the cool climate and the terroir do all the navigating, and they never steer us wrong. It is truly an inimitable wine made from a blend of incredible fruit we farm throughout Sonoma County, from the Coast to the Sonoma/Napa border.

Winery Notes

'We’re a boutique Sonoma winery producing Syrah, Grenache, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Roussanne and Viognier. We have elected to prize quality over all other factors. Simply put, we think wine should taste great — with every vintage and every grape, this is our ultimate priority and our greatest motivation. Our working winery is located in Santa Rosa, where our small team puts in their passion and dedication to make Donelan one of the best Sonoma wineries for top-tier Syrah and private tastings.'