Bravium Russian River Chardonnay “The 2023 Chardonnay “Russian River Valley” bottling from Derek Rohlffs at Bravium Wines is absolutely lovely this year, tipping the scales at a civilized 13.4 percent octane and offering up a very expressive bouquet of pear, casaba melon, a beautiful base of soil, acacia blossoms, honeysuckle and a very discreet framing of vanillin oak. On the palate the wine is bright, full-bodied, focused and complex, with a fine core of ripe fruit, zesty acids, lovely balance and backend lift and a long, vibrant finish. This is flat out delicious out of the blocks, but will have no trouble evolving nicely in the cellar for at least the next decade.”
