2020 Olema Chardonnay Reserve Sonoma County 750 ml

Rombauer is $40. Newton is $60.

How is it that Tony Biagi is able to make a Chardonnay primarily from the same stellar Carneros site those brands use—Sangiacomo—for less than half that?

His secret is deceptively simple: Start with established sources like Sangiacomo and expertly blend them with fruit from up-and-coming vineyards, with an eye towards balance. 

The guy who made Plumpjack Chardonnay for over a decade makes it look easy. The MICHELIN guide called Biagi “a tour de force in the Northern California wine world,” and Vinous named him their Winemaker of the Year in 2020. 

In Olema’s 2020 Reserve Chardonnay, you’re getting a wine James Suckling loved for its elegance and “smooth, supple palate.” You’re getting expert-level attention to detail. And you’re getting a brilliant, reserve-level Chardonnay that’s a true pleasure to drink.

Olema is the value-oriented, Sonoma-centric project from the team at Calistoga’s Amici Cellars, spearheaded by Biagi and Sean Quinn, his Associate Production Winemaker. Their motto is simple: “Olema wines are made to over-deliver.” They achieve this through expert blending, ensuring that acidity, alcohol, and oak are all in harmony.

2020 featured a warm, dry winter, a mild spring, and hot summer days with cool nights, preserving acidity in the grapes beautifully. The fruit was picked at perfect ripeness in late August, then a portion was barrel-fermented to add texture and the remainder fermented in stainless steel to retain freshness. 

We loved the results, with the wine sailing through our tasting-panel gauntlet effortlessly. There’s so much fresh apple, pear, and unctuosity, supported by a load-bearing beam of acidity that lifts the whole wine. It’s a rock-solid value.