94pts Jeb Dunnuck

A bright yellow hue, the 2023 Chardonnay Sonoma Coast is expressive on opening with notes of flinty wet stones and white peach. Full-bodied, it floats on the palate and offers ripe purity, with honeycomb, lemon curd, and delicate creaminess. It has a silky, clean texture and a balanced finish, and it’s ready to drink now or over the coming 6-7 years.

Winemaker Notes

Such an elegant wine. Gracious and medium in body, with terrific aromatic presence, this translucent, super-expressive Chardonnay is a superb introduction to the range of Rivers-Marie Chardonnays. Lemon peel, white flowers, chalk, mint and white pepper add brilliance throughout.

Single variety wines made to reflect the vineyard & vintage from which they came. Owned by Thomas Rivers Brown & Genevieve Marie Welsh. Thomas is one of the best known Napa Valley Cabernet consulting winemakers, but Rivers-Marie is his family project shared with his wife Genevieve.

Winery Notes

Rivers-Marie itself was launched in 2002 when Thomas River Brown made a tiny amount of wine from the legendary Summa Vineyard in the Sonoma Coast. Today, Rivers-Marie has grown to include not only a blended Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir, but also several single vineyard sites from in and around Occidental including Occidental Ridge, Willow Creek, Silver Eagle, and two seperate bottlings from the Summa vineyard which Thomas and Genevive purchased in 2010. In addition to Pinot, Thomas makes small amounts of Cabernet and Chardonnay as well.