2017 Alma Fria Plural Chardonnay Sonoma Coast 750 ml

We’ve been waiting for this one, because the go-to by-the-glass Chardonnay of restaurants like Michelin-starred SingleThread, Atlanta’s Miller Union, and SF’s Lazy Bear is not easy to obtain. Its delicate white flower aromatics, sea spray salinity, and lemon meringue vibrancy have seduced us all, and it’s finally our turn to share it. 

We first tasted Plural at a trade show in Austin with partner and winemaker Carroll Kemp. Straight away we fell for the mouthwatering freshness derived from cool-climate vineyards in Sonoma’s newly crowned West Sonoma Coast AVA, the sun-kissed tropical and citrus fruit, and the savory mineral edge—Wine & Spirits called it a “brisk, cool riff on sandstone.” 

While we made a friend in Carroll that day, we had to swallow a tough pill when he told us that we wouldn’t be able to share his masterful Chardonnay with Wine Access members. The list of top restaurants who had first dibs was miles long, and the wine was fully allocated. 

Fast forward to a few weeks ago, when we called to catch up with Carroll. With the restaurant industry largely on pause, many of his placements had disappeared. If we wanted it, we would get the first shot at 25 cases of the 2017 Alma Fria Chardonnay. 

We’ve never locked in a wine quicker. 

Out of a 379 different Chardonnays tasted blind, Wine & Spirits awarded the 2017 Plural Chardonnay Best Buy honors, among only 15 others, calling it “a markedly elegant wine at the price.” Contrast today’s $29 bottle cost with the $18 glass price at any of the above Michelin-starred haunts, and that value statement takes on a whole new meaning. 

Sourced from two ridgetop sites in West Sonoma Coast’s prime Chardonnay territory, the 2017 Plural bears the crisp signature of Campbell Ranch, a pristine vineyard just six miles from the Pacific, and Joyce Vineyard located in Freestone-Occidental. With the expertise he applied while making the wines at Red Car, Carroll has captured the abundant sunshine and cool sea breezes of these premium vineyards in the glass. Vinous agreed, calling the 2017 an “expressive” and “pretty” Chardonnay “that will drink well right out of the gate.” 

It is beyond rare to have a chance to pick up this restaurant-only Chardonnay, and we're delighted to share it with Wine Access members. Get it here before it goes back to triple the price on the list at three-star SingleThread!