Sphaerics Overline Chardonnay Carneros 2023

If you are a long-time client, then you know we live for the moments when a Chardonnay makes our knees buckle. It is collectively our favorite Napa Valley varietal because its neutral demeanor showcases the winemaking in the bottle. Like seeing a model bare-faced, the varietal acts as a portal into the winemaker's raw talent. As the benchmark for great California Chardonnay continues to rise, our expectations for a great bottle have risen with it. Luckily, industry power couple Laura Jones and Brian Ball operate on a level unbeknownst to most and have debuted a Chardonnay that should have collectors making ample space in their cellars.

Brian and Laura are a couple who could and will do anything they put their minds to. They work together at Skipstone, where Brian is the GM and Laura is the winemaker. Before Skipstone, Laura was the assistant winemaker at Aubert from 2017-2022. It was in that cellar that she learned how to harness Chardonnay's best characteristics and coax her unique expression into the glass. There are few better training grounds to prepare someone to go on to produce a top California Chardonnay.

The 2023 Overline is a debut release coming from a Lede family-owned vineyard in Carneros. Sphaerics' coolest site thrives in the clay loam soils of this distinctive region, influenced by the morning fog and gentle breeze of the San Pablo Bay. This unique climate combined with tried and true clones (Hyde Wente, Old Wente, and Mt. Eden) results in a wine that has both acid and creamy mouthfeel dialed up to an 11. This wine is the whole plotline, from start to finish. Brioche, lemon curd, green apple, and baked pie crust define the palate. This wine has exceptional texture and coats your mouth before leading to acidity that builds steadily to a medium-plus peak.