Lot Overview
- Region: 100% Sonoma Coast — ~55% Petaluma Gap, 35% Russian River Valley, 15% Green Valley of the RRV
- Vintage: 2024
- Varietal: 100% Chardonnay
- Oak Aging: 100% barrel-fermented, 40% new French oak
- Alcohol: 13.5%
- Cases Available: ~200
- Cam Price: ~$10.75/bottle ($129/case)
- Retail Estimate: $60–70/bottle (single-vineyard tier equivalent)
- Claude’s Source Guess: Failla Wines (Alt: Patz & Hall) — same producer as Lot 18
- Wine Berserkers Guess: Patz & Hall (same as Lot 18)
- Drink Window: 2025–2032 (peak 2026–2030)
Cameron’s Release Notes
Lot 30 2024 Sonoma Coast Chardonnay is sourced from one of Sonoma County’s finest Burgundian Pinot Noir and Chardonnay producers with a colossal array of single-vineyard designated bottlings as well as a couple of Sonoma Coast workhorse $40–50 retail bottlings, which are the base upon which this blend was built. The entire wine is from the same producer — 60% base blend (predominantly Petaluma Gap and RRV) blended with 25% Russian River Valley and 15% Green Valley of the RRV from their $60–70 single-vineyard offerings. All wines produced with indigenous yeast, 100% whole cluster pressed and barrel-fermented in about 40% new French oak.
Funny story — after we did all this work to finalize the blend, the producer came back and said they decided to keep all the wines. I managed to tie this to another deal they were more motivated on and pulled out about 200 cases.
Tasting Notes
California sunshine conspires with Burgundian minerality in this zesty, vibrant, broadly appealing Chardonnay. Bouquet opens with citrus and honeysuckle blossom, lemon curd, beeswax/honeycomb, crème brûlée and a kiss of toasty oak. With air, white peach and nectarine join with graham cracker and toasted vanilla. Juicy and zesty on the palate with a lovely creamsicle note over chalky acidity finishing with apple skin, grilled lemon and scintillating lemon verbena retronasal. Beautiful oak integration throughout.
⏳ Bottle Shock Status: Bottling August 25th. Allow 60–90 days minimum.
Claude’s Source Guess: Failla Wines — Sonoma Coast Chardonnay blend (Alt: Patz & Hall) — same producer as Lot 18
This is the same producer identified in Lot 18. The narrative is identical — “new ownership downsizing,” colossal single-vineyard program, $40–50 workhorse Sonoma Coast bottlings plus $60–70 designates, Petaluma Gap + RRV + Green Valley of RRV sourcing. The winemaking details (indigenous yeast, whole cluster pressing, 40% new French oak) are consistent across both lots, confirming a single producer supplying Cam with both their Pinot Noir and Chardonnay programs.
As discussed on the Lot 18 page, Failla Wines remains Claude’s primary guess — their Sonoma Coast Chardonnay program spans exactly these three sub-regions with a deep single-vineyard designate portfolio and a $45–55 appellation Chardonnay. Patz & Hall is the strong alternative given co-founder James Hall’s recent buyback from Sycamore Partners, which constitutes genuine “new ownership” triggering the kind of inventory rationalization that produced this surplus. WB’s guess of Patz & Hall on Lot 18 applies equally here.
The “funny story” about the producer trying to pull back the wines is a detail consistent with a newly re-organized ownership situation — someone who initially agreed to sell inventory, then reversed course, then ultimately relented when Cam tied it to a second deal.
✅ Confidence: Medium-High for Failla; Medium-High for Patz & Hall — same analysis as Lot 18. Ownership narrative continues to favor Patz & Hall; portfolio breadth and Petaluma Gap footprint favor Failla.
Drink Window
Early: Late 2025 — bottling August 25th, needs 60–90 days.
Peak: 2026–2030. Sonoma Coast Chardonnay at this quality tier and 13.5% alc peaks 2–6 years from vintage.
Hold: 2032. The 40% new oak and quality sourcing give this solid medium-term structure.
My Call: ⏳ Drink window: Late 2025–2032 (peak 2026–2030)