Core Collection | 2024 Sonoma County Chardonnay 750ml

We love the thrill of hunting new, limited wines for our Lot program. But we also know that sometimes you just want a high quality no-brainer – an “old reliable” that can be enjoyed again and again without hesitation.Given the current oversupply in the industry, we approached some of the most renowned producers in wine country with an unusual proposal: Sell us a quantity much larger than the small lots we typically go after. The logic is simple – their overflowing cellars (and cashflow-concerned accountants) breathe a huge sigh of relief, and we get our hands on some exceptional wines that have actual staying power in our Bottle Shop. And of course, due to economies of scale, some extremely aggressive pricing is on the table, right?To our delight, a handful of wineries were enthusiastic to play ball… Introducing: Core Collection by de Négoce – essential go-to wines to anchor your home cellar year round. Unlike our fleeting “here today, gone tomorrow” Lot series wines, these are here to stay, and regularly available in our Bottle Shop. This means they already have some age and are ready to shine – crowd-pleasing champions that make your wine decision effortlessly easy. Solo sipping? Food pairing? Want to impress a guest without raiding your stash? Got a dinner invite and need to bring a bottle with confidence? Simple. Done. Always the right answer.Batting leadoff is an absolute jewel of a white wine:Core Collection | 2024 Sonoma County Chardonnay is a quintessential Russian River Valley expression, boasting a wonderful combination of freshness, structure, and weight in perfect balance. Awarded 92 points by James Suckling under our label and a Gold Medal from the Sommelier Challenge Competition, it was sourced from one of Sonoma’s benchmark producers that has premier vineyards in the coolest microclimates of the Russian River. A sublime 2024 vintage release that handily outperformed an array of contenders (including plenty of single-vineyard wines), it retails for about $50 a pop under original label, but we agreed to declassify it to Sonoma County as part of the deal terms in order to achieve an incredible Bottle Shop price of only $16/bottle – that’s $13.60/bottle with the New Release Discount!The producer has farmed these vineyards for decades, and knows how to coax the absolute best out of every vine. In the cellar, their touch is equally deft – after hand harvesting, the bunches were whole cluster pressed, and the juice fermented in French oak barrels and stainless-steel tanks for optimal balance. Partial malolactic fermentation adds just the right amount of texture and creaminess, followed by eight months of aging in mostly French oak (with a bit of American oak), imbuing the wine with gorgeous depth.Pouring a radiant golden hue, the nose is classic California Chardonnay – yellow apples intermingle with lemon curd, Asian pear, vanilla bean, and spice, haloed by delicate white florals, caramel, and wet stone minerality. The palate is deftly weighted and structured, revealing layers of lemon oil, fresh butter, and apples while framed by uplifted acidity and a subtle spice. The finish is long and ethereal, echoing with barrel-kissed French oak vanilla, baking spice umami, and a final wave of honeysuckle. 14.2% alc