The Creamery is a one-wine, one-brand operation out of California - making a traditional rich, oaky style but keeping it in the very affordable section.

WINE DETAILS

2023 Barrel Fermented Creamery

Variety:  100% Chardonnay

Region of Origin: California, USA

 Tasting Notes

 Golden straw colour with lightly toasted oak aromatics and lush tropical notes of ripe mango, golden peach and Bosc pear. On the palate the wine is rich and creamy, evoking crème brûlée, buttered toast and a hint of vanilla bean, underpinned by subtle spicy oak and a clean thread of acidity. The finish is long, smooth and rounded, with lingering warm-oak spice and maintainable freshness.

 Wine Making

 Kryss Speegle is the Executive Vice President – Winegrowing at O'Neill Vintners, where she leads the winemaking and grower relations teams. She is a Master of Wine and was promoted to this executive role in March 2024, after serving as the company's lead winemaker for a decade. The process involves 100% barrel fermentation in a combination of 40% French and 60% American oak, followed by 100% malolactic fermentation and seven months of aging, which contributes to its rich, buttery, and creamy texture with notes of tropical fruit and vanilla.

The Vineyards

 The wine is made using grapes from various regions like Arroyo Seco, Monterey, and Clarksburg with ripe fruit character suited to full-bodied barrel-fermented Chardonnay. The warm climate allows tropical-stone fruit expression, while winemaking choices preserve smooth texture and oak integration.