Arrowood Vineyards and Winery

It’s darn hard to imagine iconic winemaker Dick Arrowood working for Jess Jackson (now that Jackson has bought Legacy Estates group, which includes Arrowood, for close to $100 million). On the other hand, I’m willing to stretch my imagination pretty far if it includes Arrowood staying at the helm and making wine from the vineyards he knows so well. For those of you new to the story, Arrowood has dozens of vintages in Sonoma under his belt, and made some of the first vineyard-designated wines in the country. He does not suffer fools or make weak wines, so I just try to keep my mouth shut and my glass handy when he’s pouring.

I tasted this blind amidst a group of other Chards, and admit that my first impression was of aromas that were almost too varietally accurate. All the other wines had something calling attention to them. Then I sipped and sat back. The wine is classy, confident and understated, with medium body, great texture, and a lot of enjoyment beyond the fruit – though there’s plenty of fruit deep into the finish. You pretty much can’t go wrong with Dick Arrowood and Chardonnay. But don’t tell him I said that.

Reviewed September 12, 2006 by Thom Elkjer.