Lot 11 is a Grand Cru Russian River Valley Chardonnay assembled from barrels across three single-vineyard designates that Cam describes as being in the same league as Ritchie Vineyard — a producer he has bought from for years. Claude’s source guess is Rochioli Vineyards.
Lot 11 — 2023 Russian River Valley Chardonnay
Lot Overview
- Region: 100% Russian River Valley (three Grand Cru estate sites)
- Vintage: 2023
- Varietal: 100% Chardonnay
- Oak Aging: Barrel-fermented in new French oak, aged in combination of once-used and neutral barrels
- Alcohol: 13.8%
- Cases Available: 200
- Cam Price: ~$12.50/bottle ($149.99/case)
- Retail Estimate: $70–80/bottle (single-vineyard tier equivalent)
- Claude’s Source Guess: Rochioli Vineyards — Estate Chardonnay blend from single-vineyard blocks (West Block, Little Hill, Rachael’s Vineyard)
- Wine Berserkers Guess: Ramey
- Drink Window: 2025–2033 (peak 2026–2030)
Cameron’s Release Notes
Get your fingers ready, Russian River Chardonnay fans—
Lot 11 is the bottle you’ve been waiting for.
This gorgeous, barrel-fermented beauty was sourced from a set of vineyards that belong in the same sentence as Ritchie. The producer—whom we’ve worked with for years—blended a few select barrels from their $70–$80 single-vineyard programs to create this lot. We paid 50% over market to secure it. Totally worth it.
And here’s the kicker: this is better than their $50–$60 entry-level RRV Chardonnay, which just pulled a 93-point score from Wine Enthusiast—and you’re getting it for less than $13 a bottle. So yes, it’s that good.
Barrel-fermented in new French oak, then aged in a mix of once-used and neutral barrels, Lot 11 shows off the incredible 2023 vintage in full glory. It’s rich, seamless, and energetic, balancing ripe orchard and tropical fruit with chalky acidity and beautifully integrated oak.
Light golden in the glass with a generous bouquet of spicy apple, pear, orange blossom, and apricot, all wrapped in fresh butter and crème brûlée warmth. Succulent and creamy on the palate, it bursts with pear, mango, orangesicle, and papaya, finishing with a long, vibrant-yet-luxurious trail of marzipan and citrus zest.
Only 200 cases made. This is Grand Cru-level Chardonnay for a fraction of the price. Don’t sleep on it.
Tasting Notes
Get your fingers ready Russian River Chardonnay fans! Lot 11 is the wine you have been waiting for!
Sourced from a compendium of 3 different grand cru Russian River Valley vineyards (let’s just say in the same league as Ritchie Vineyard), Lot 11 2023 Russian River Valley Chardonnay is a seriously sophisticated but decidedly delicious Chardonnay.
Here’s the scoop, backed up with 2021 and 2022 vintage, the producer (from whom I have been buying for years) combined a few barrels from each of their $70-$80/bottle single vineyard designates into one blend for me. I paid about 50% over market for the privilege but I was happy to do so, the wine is incredible and still a mind-blowing value. If you love Russian River Valley Chardonnay, this is probably the best Chardonnay I have offered from this region.
Barrel-fermented in new French oak and then aged in a combination of one-year old and neutral barrels, the picture perfect 2023 vintage offers us an opulent, beautifully balanced (if not downright elegant), Chardonnay with chalky acidity carrying a melange of ripe orchard and tropical fruit with beautifully integrated oak. I should note, the producer sells their entry level Russian River Chardonnay for $50-$60/bottle and recently awarded a 93-point score in the Wine Enthusiast.
This is better juice here folks, and I suspect today you will find it significantly less expensive 🙂
Light golden in the glass, it offers an opulent-yet-energetic bouquet with a harmonious melange of spicy apple, pear, orange blossom, and apricot complexed with aromas of fresh churned butter and a crème brûlée halo. Supple and succulent on entry, it delivers a seamless panoply of orchard fruit astride zesty, chalky acidity that unfurls a whirlwind of pear, mango and orangesicle finishing with papaya and marzipan retronasals in a long, sustained, creamy-yet-vibrant finish. Beautifully integrated and harmonious, this gorgeous, classic Russian River Valley Chardonnay deftly balances an opulent deliciousness with energy and verve.
⏳ Bottle Shock Status: Bottled May 27th. Allow late 2025 minimum.
Claude’s Source Guess: Rochioli Vineyards — blend of single-vineyard Chardonnay blocks (West Block, Little Hill, Rachael’s Vineyard)
Rochioli Vineyards is one of the founding legends of Russian River Valley viticulture, with single-vineyard Chardonnay blocks that are literally in the same conversation as Ritchie — their vineyards have supplied fruit to Williams Selyem and other iconic producers for decades. Their estate single-vineyard Chardonnay designates (West Block, Little Hill, Rachael’s Vineyard) retail at $65–80+, and their Estate Chardonnay — a blend of fruit from across the estate — retails at ~$50–55. That Estate Chardonnay scored 93 from Wine Enthusiast, matching Cam’s clue precisely.
Cam’s scenario — blending a few barrels from each of the single-vineyard programs into a special CAM X lot — is exactly the kind of arrangement a long-term négociant relationship with Rochioli would enable. The “backed up with 2021 and 2022 vintage” language suggests Cam has done similar lots from this producer in prior years, consistent with the multi-year buying relationship he describes.
✅ Confidence: High — 93 WE on the $50–55 entry-level RRV Estate Chardonnay, multiple $70–80 single-vineyard designates, Grand Cru RRV status, long-term producer relationship, and three distinct vineyard sites all align precisely.
Drink Window
Early: Late 2025 — bottled May 27th, needs integration time.
Peak: 2026–2030. RRV Chardonnay at this quality tier typically peaks 3–7 years from vintage.
Hold: 2033. The 13.8% alc and quality sourcing give this a solid decade.
My Call: ⏳ Drink window: Late 2025–2033 (peak 2026–2030)