Chalk Hill Estate wine primarily comes from their vineyard in central Sonoma County. The winery releases about 16 bottlings annually. Four are widely sold. The others are small-lot productions only available at the winery or through its club.

Aside from making very good wine, Chalk Hill Estate is a lovely place to visit. Their Culinary Tour and Tasting experience, which includes lunch, is not to be missed. I described my experience with that in my previous article.

Widely Available Chalk Hill Estate Wine

2016 Chalk Hill Chardonnay Chalk Hill AVA, Sonoma County 90 14.9% 750ml $42

This aromatic, flavorful, and easy-to-like Chardonnay faithfully represents its growing region. The friendly nose emphasizes yellow apples and pears, while green apple, lemon, sweet cream, baking spice, and oak add depth. The warm palate of medium-plus has good presence with dynamic flavors, a slippery mouthfeel, and mouthwatering verve. The flavors match the nose’s orchard-fruit personality, but also bring tasty creme brûlée.

The 100% Chardonnay juice fermented with native yeasts in French oak barrels (42% new), where it also underwent full malolactic conversion. Bi-weekly bâtonnage enriched the palate. Drink now through 2023.

2018 Chalk Hill Sauvignon Blanc Estate Chalk Hill AVA 91 14.5% 750ml $33

Rich with a wealth of tangy fruit, this Sauvignon Blanc also refreshes with brisk acidity. Aromas of grapefruit, guava, nectarine and peach blossom recur on the long-lasting palate, joined by tart tangerine and pineapple.

The blend includes 4% Sauvignon Gris and wine that was aged seven months in neutral French oak, a bit of new oak, and (34%) in stainless steel drums. Enjoy now through 2022.

2016 Chalk Hill Estate Red Chalk Hill AVA 91+ 15.2% 750ml $70

Inky purple in the glass, this Bordeaux-variety blend draws you in with aromas of crushed blackberries, black cherry and dark spices. It’s engagingly flavorful too, with notes of dark chocolate, black pepper, blackberry syrup, allspice, and wood. The palate is nimble with a balance of acidity and fine-grained tannins that are structural and persistent, but not intrusive. The wine gains weight and richness with air, and fills out from a generous medium body to nearly full.

The blend is 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Malbec, 9% Petit Verdot, 7% Merlot, which fermented in stainless steel tanks and then aged 20 months in 100% French oak, 55% new. Best from 2021 through 2030.

Chalk Hill Estate Small Lots

2018 Chalk Hill Pinot Gris North Slope 93 14.9% 750ml $40

Two different Alsatian Pinot Gris clones grow in what Chalk Hill says is the coolest zone of their extensive vineyard. Between the climate, vine age, and farming, they yielded just 1.33 tons per acre for this wine. The juice fermented in neutral oak, but did not undergo any malolactic conversion. The wine matured in those barrels for seven months.

Aromas of ripe green apple, underripe stone fruit, pear, and a slight tropical note make way from a very nicely balanced palate. Tree fruit also features in the lengthy flavors, but minerality is the star. Body is a generous medium and there’s a hint of sweetness that’s easily matched by gently mouthwatering acidity.

2017 Chalk Hill Felta Chardonnay 95 14.9% 750ml $75

The Felta Chardonnay is a blend from different clones and zones of the vineyard. It’s name is that of a soil series, gravelly alluvium, that Chalk Hill believes is particularly well-suited to Chardonnay. Fermentation and aging took place in entirely with native yeast in French oak barrels, 70% of which were now. Malolactic conversion was complete.

Tart yellow apple and lemon rise above hints of cream, delicate baking spice, and apple leaf on the nose. The wine is creamy in the mouth, complementing the vivid palate’s creme brûlée. There are also flavors of apple, stone fruit, vanilla, spice, and a soft note of oak. The richness is framed by acidity and very fine texture. 

2015 Chalk Hill Chairman’s Club Syrah 96 15.4% 750ml $60

Volcanic soils give rise to this purple-black Syrah that exudes aromas of ripe black cherry, boysenberry, leather, and dark spice. The full-bodied palate is packed with flavors of chocolate malt, Chinese five spice, caramel, and black cherry. Its fine-grained, softish tannins are plush, but structural, and provide the right amount of structure for the wine throughout it’s extremely long finish.

This wine’s 100% Syrah, cropped at just 1.8 tons per acre. It fermented in stainless steel, then moved to French oak barrels, 80% new, for 21 months of maturation. 

2016 Chalk Hill Chairman’s Club Cabernet Sauvignon 96 15.4% 750ml $85

The Cabernet Sauvignon fruit for this wine come from some of the westernmost blocks of Chalk Hill Estate. Lower altitude and isolation from Pacific breezes make this one of the warmer zones of the vineyard. Petit Verdot, just one percent, rounds out the wine, which aged 18 months in French oak barrels, 93% of which were new.

The purple-black wine has a beautiful, yet intense, savory nose. Mocha, graphite, dried sage, and bay leaf swirl around black currant and blackberry. Body on the palate is medium-plus and there’s a generous mix of plush and fine, grainy tannins that provide plenty of structure but don’t impede the powerful, black-fruited, dry-herbed flavors, nor the caramel accent.

Copyright Fred Swan 2019. Images courtesy of Chalk Hill Estate. All rights reserved.

About the author: Fred Swan is an Oakland-based writer, educator, and event sommelier. He’s written on wine and spirits for GuildSomm.com, Daily.SevenFifty.com, The Tasting Panel, SOMM Journal, PlanetGrape.com, and more. Fred teaches a wide range of classes at the San Francisco Wine School. He’s founder/producer of Wine Writers’ Educational Tours, an annual, educational conference for professional wine writers. He also leads seminars, private wine tours, and conducts tastings, dinners, and events for wineries, companies, and private parties. Fred’s certifications include WSET Diploma, Certified Sommelier, California Wine Appellation Specialist, Certified Specialist of Wine, French Wine Scholar, Italian Wine Professional, Napa Valley Wine Educator, Northwest Wine Appellation Specialist, and Level 3 WSET Educator. He’s three times been awarded a fellowship by the Symposium for Professional Wine Writers.