2007 Landmark Overlook Chardonnay

Sonoma, California

Landmark Overlook Chardonnay is a special white wine gem from Sonoma that brings back fond memories of many pleasurable visits to the winery. Its setting is splendid, its wines seducing and its bocce court relaxing after a long day of wine tasting in Sonoma! Damaris Deere Ford, great-great-granddaughter of John Deere, relocated Landmark Vineyards from Windsor to a spectacular piece of land at the base of Sugarloaf Mountain in the Sonoma Valley. Damaris believed that Landmark could be a small jewel of a winery and built a Spanish mission style winery equipped with state-of-the-art winemaking equipment. Damaris convinced her son, Michael Deere Colhoun, and his wife Mary to move from the east coast and join her as partners in the winery. In 1993, they hired world-renowned consulting enologist Helen Turley to work with winemaker Eric Stern. This collaboration has led to some excellent winemaking. This 2007 vintage received stellar ratings from all of the top critics: 92 Wine Spectator, 90 Parker and 90 Tanzer.

The twenty two separate vineyards that comprise the 2007 vintage of Landmark Overlook Chardonnay include such distinguished growers as Sangaciomo, Bien Nacido, Martinelli, and Lorenzo. All the wines in the Overlook bottling are barrel fermented using indigenous yeasts and undergo full malolactic fermentation. The wine is aged sur lie for nine months in Burgundian barrels and racked to tanks for blending. The aromas of toasted almonds, caramel, and coconut are followed by crisp green apple and lemon rind flavors that convey a certain minerality. The wine is rich and full-bodied with an enticing finish.

Enjoy Landmark Overlook Chardonnay as a very food-friendly wine. Its acidity will pair well with seafoods and shellfish, and complement pastas with cream sauces, as well as roast chicken and pork roast with fruit.