Vivier Chardonnay Sonoma Coast 2020

Proprietor and Winemaker, Stéphane Vivier, learned his laissez-faire method of winemaking while growing up at the feet of an elderly neighbor whose family had been making wine for centuries in Meloisey, Burgundy.  His skills were then cultivated in the vineyards and cellars of Pommard, Meursault, and Chassagne-Montrachet.  After obtaining degrees in viticulture and enology from the Université de Bourgogne in Dijon, he moved on to work harvests in Switzerland, Sonoma and New Zealand.  In 2002 he moved to Napa to become the winemaker at Hyde de Villaine in Carneros, under the tutelage of the great Burgundian winemaker, Aubert de Villaine, the co-owner of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (which is considered to be one of the world's greatest Pinot Noir producers as well as the world's most expensive).  Stéphane’s wife Dana, whose love for wine began in eastern Washington’s emerging wine country while attending college in Walla Walla, spent a year studying at La Sorbonne in Paris which gave her fluency in French and a deep appreciation for leisurely meals with friends and great wine.  After her postgraduate study at UC Davis, Dana landed a job working for an investment management company that specialized in high-end vineyards, which relocated her to Napa.  Shortly thereafter, she met Stéphane, and it wasn’t long before the two realized that they belonged together.  

Stéphane and Dana launched their brand back in 2009 right after the two were married. Dana suggested that Stéphane make Pinot Noir, considering that he had grown up literally running through the vineyards of Burgundy.  He asked her, “Where will the money come from?”  And she told him, “Don’t worry.  This is America.”  That same year they started their own label with a handful of maxed out credit cards and just 30 cases of wine. Today, still incredibly small in production, Vivier’s bottlings have grown to become sought after and cherished by sommeliers and wine lovers looking for joyful, food friendly wines made from the heart. 

This wine debuted with the 2018 and nearly made my knees buckle it was so good. Now in its third vintage, I can confirm that Stéphane has improved his vineyard sources and the quality has only increased! Majority of the fruit comes from the Flocchini Vineyard, located along the Lakeville corridor with sweeping views of the Petaluma Gap. Brothers Andrew and Nick Flocchini farm this small vineyard site with exceptional care and attention. Thanks to the mild, cool climate, the grapes ripen early and maintain exceptional balance and optimal acidity. The wine sees just 5% new oak during aging, and spends 18 months in barrel, resulting in a wine that is clean, mouth-watering, and perfectly balanced. Bright fruit notes of quince, lemon pith, and green apple are met with a bolt of acidity that starts sharp and softens towards the back palate where the wine rounds out and finishes with nice length. Don’t miss this wine, it is truly something special. The photo on the label was taken in the early 1900s in the South of France. As Stéphane says, “While we drink Chardonnay in all locations, under an umbrella in France will always be a favorite.”