2007 Chasseur Chardonnay Sangiacomo Green Acres Hill

The 2007 Chardonnay Sangiacomo Green Acres Hill, made from an old Wente clone, exhibits abundant notes of brioche, lemon, citrus oil, poached pears, and honeysuckle as well as subtle spicy oak, and elegant, crisp acids buttressing a medium to full-bodied, beautifully concentrated wine displaying freshness as well as vigor. It should drink nicely for 4-5 years or longer. All of these Chardonnays see about 60% new French oak. Bill Hunter is a bigger-than-life guy working out of a low-tech warehouse producing hand-crafted, small lot wines in a French style. Production appears to have leveled off between 2,500 and 2,800 cases of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Virtually all of his vineyards are on the western fringes of the Russian River Valley where it segues into the Sonoma Coast appellation. Hunter calls it the West County triangle area, between Sebastopol, Freestone, and Occidental. Hunter’s winemaking philosophy demands the gentlest handling possible, with the wines moved by either Argon gas (the non-bruising neutral gas) or gravity, fermented in tiny lots, and bottled in most cases without any fining or filtration. Chasseur is definitely a reference point for consumers looking for the highest quality Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs from northern California. These are all very impressive wines that merit serious attention. Moreover, their prices are reasonable for the quality level. Chasseur’s Pinot Noirs are fermented in tiny, one-ton fermenters with some whole clusters (stems) used. Tel. (707) 829-1941; Fax (707) 829-1494