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The Woodleaf Ranch Russian River Chardonnay 2020 is a $9.99 Aldi exclusive. I checked the California wine labeling website COLA and it showed that Rack and Riddle cellared and bottled this Chardonnay.
Cellared and bottled means just that, they aged the wine for a certain amount of time and bottled it, but the named producer Woodleaf Ranch didn’t make the wine. Rack and Riddle is a large producer of Sparkling wine, if you have had California Bubbly at least some of them were made by Rack and Riddle. They also make custom still wine.
The Woodleaf Ranch Russian River Chardonnay 2020 is sourced from Chardonnay grapes farmed in the Russian River AVA of the Sonoma County AVA inside the North Coast AVA of California. The Russian River Valley runs north-south parallel to the California coast, it once ran east-west but an ancient earthquake changed its direction.
The southern of the Russian River has a cooler climate than the northern half, so the wines from this AVA can be diverse. It is a well-known producer of top Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines.
The Woodleaf Ranch Russian River Chardonnay 2020 does not have technical notes but the back label does mention pear, baked apple, and lightly toasted vanilla. Those tasting notes are consistent with Chardonnay, which was aged by Malolactic Fermentation and were oak barrel aged.
An Aldi $9.99, as a store brand offering price advantages over retail wines, should be the same quality as a $13 to $15 wine. There is no direct correlation all wines are different, but that is a rough guide. The alcohol content is 14.1%.
The Woodleaf Ranch Russian River Chardonnay 2020 Tasting Notes
The color is pale wheat yellow with golden highlights. The nose is bright and juicy, there are notes of apple, peach, pear, grapefruit, pineapple, a little vanilla, and a soft floral edge. The Woodleaf Ranch Russian River Chardonnay 2020 is a smooth dry wine, with subtle flavors and good length. The flavors do not jump out at you, but they do not quit either.
This Chardonnay tastes like lemon curd, green apple, ripe peach, and melon. The mid-palate adds that salty/nutty on-lees sensation, vanilla, a little spice, orange zest, and nectarine. The acidity is subtle but it allows the flavors to unfold.
The Summary
- The Woodleaf Ranch Russian River Chardonnay 2020 is a quality Chardonnay.
- Buy this if you like your Chardonnay on the smooth and subtle side.
