94pts Wine & Spirits

James Hall taps his network of growers for this regional blend, working with several Dutton Ranch sites in Russian River Valley, plus Durrell, Bootlegger’s Hill and Gap’s Crown, to name a few. He allows the juice to ferment spontaneously in French oak barrels (29 percent new), where all of it undergoes malolactic conversion. The result is potently rich in a satisfying, savory way. This 2020 is earthy and wholesome, integrating the oak and the lactic acidity into an overtone of caramelized butter, a note that doesn’t dominate the wine’s clean and regal savor.

93pts Wine Enthusiast

Bright and floral with underlying grip, this is a strong, full-bodied wine. With plenty of weight and breadth, it finds its balance in crisp notions of Meyer lemon and tangerine. The oak is supportive, supple and brimming in baking spice.

90pts Wine Spectator

Features fresh citrus, apple and melon notes that are slightly tangy, with mouthwatering acidity and details of pickled ginger, lemon zest, green almond and orange blossoms.

90pts Jeb Dunnuck

A youthful medium golden yellow, the 2020 Chardonnay Sonoma Coast is fresh and ripe with aromas of pineapple, almond, and preserved citrus. Medium to full-bodied, with good lift to its notes of crunchy saline earth, yellow flowers, pithy Meyer lemon, and ripe golden apple, it strikes a nice balance between its fruit and savory minerality. Drink it over the next several years.

Winemaker Notes

The 2020 offering is a collection of eighteen single-vineyard quality sites that could all be bottled as single source bottlings; five blocks of Dutton Ranch, various blocks of Sanchietti Vineyard, Gap’s Crown Vineyard, Zio Tony Ranch, Parmelee-Hill Vineyard, and Durell Vineyard. The wine has inviting aromas of summer melon, marzipan, fennel, lemon drop candy, and fresh peach. Toasted almond-toffee and clove round out the refreshing acidity on the finish giving the wine great poise, balance, and energy.
Blend: 100% Chardonnay

Winery Notes

Patz and Hall Wine Company was founded in 1988 by Donald Patz, James Hall, Anne Moses and Heather Patz, and is dedicated to the production of hand-crafted wines. The four are long-time Napa Valley residents and wine industry professionals, with a wide variety of experiences. Patz and Hall produces Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wines from selected vineyard sources in Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino and Monterey counties. The Patz and Hall method is to work closely with each of their growers to achieve a unique expression of the vineyard site and deliver wines that reflect both the site and their vision for great wine.