Freddy R. Troya

9.4

Ilaria — Chardonnay 2022
Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, California, USA 🇺🇸

Overview
100% Chardonnay from Russian River Valley, crafted by winemaker Anna Monticelli. Better known for her Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and other reds, Monticelli brings a polished, terroir-conscious approach to Chardonnay, giving this wine finesse and authenticity rather than simply chasing richness. Her background includes Château Cheval Blanc, Seavey Vineyard, Bryant Family Vineyard, and Piña Napa Valley.

Aromas & Flavors
Lemon curd, baked pear, yellow apple, citrus peel, and delicate white flowers lead the way, with subtle vanilla and baking-spice nuances adding another layer without overwhelming the fruit.

Mouthfeel
Medium-bodied and beautifully balanced, with lovely acidity providing freshness and tension. A gentle creaminess develops through the mid-palate, followed by additional texture and depth toward the back end.

Food Pairings
Roasted chicken, grilled halibut, scallops, crab, creamy seafood pasta, mushroom risotto, or richer white-fish preparations.

Verdict
An intriguing Russian River Chardonnay that finds a comfortable middle ground between California generosity and restraint. There is enough texture and depth to satisfy Chardonnay lovers, but the freshness and finesse prevent it from becoming heavy or overly opulent.

Did You Know?
Anna Monticelli earned her Viticulture and Enology degree at UC Davis before working the 2000 vintage at Château Cheval Blanc and later assisting at Bryant Family Vineyard under Philippe Melka. That serious red-wine pedigree makes her exploration of Chardonnay particularly interesting.

🍷 Personal Pick
A great addition to Anna Monticelli’s repertoire of intriguing whites. I particularly enjoyed the lemon curd, baked pear, lovely acidity, and that subtle increase in texture and depth toward the finish. It has enough Russian River personality to feel generous, but enough finesse to remain sophisticated and beautifully composed. — 5 days ago

Carson

9.1

Full bodied slight dry and hints of raisin — 8 years ago

Noel Geisen

9.0

Ripasso of Corvina, Cabs and Merlot grapes ? Definitly not OK if you go for classic wine, but big OK in taste ☺ — 10 years ago

Nick Danger

9.2

Slight earthiness with mellow tannins. — 10 years ago

Robert Langlais

9.0

Great wine, different, grapes are aged longer with this wine, different but great — 11 years ago

Ryan McGowan

9.0

Great bottle at $14. Strong deep cherry finish. — 11 years ago

with Nairi

Peter van den Besselaar

9.0

vintage 2015 | Usually I am not a big fan of Amarone, but this wine grabbed me. A smell with broth and cacao. Very ripened. Supple taste. — 4 months ago

Kristin the Wine Girl

8.9

Bought it at Grocery Outlet fir $7 - needed in a pinch and it did the trick. Too fruity for my preferred barbera but enough acid and light enough for my veggie marinara pasta sauce. Cheers! — 5 years ago

Joe Christenson

9.0

Delightful. Bright cherry, strawberry, raspberry, tangy acidity, with earthy undertones and depth coming from some raisin notes. — 6 years ago

Rubychick

9.1

A delicious accompaniment to Tipo 00's pretty sister Osteria Ilaria ❤️ — 9 years ago

Hasan Mannan

10

Fantastic, lush with beautiful notes of red velvety cherry, Tobacco and leather notes — 10 years ago

Dmitry T

9.5

Very nice! Enjoyed this bottle like no other sweet wine before! Actually never loved sweet wines. But this one is incredible. Absolutely must try for everyone — 11 years ago

Super Jessico

9.0

Now this is a killer rosè! The 1st of three wines enjoyed with Ilaria Romano on her last night in Chicago. %100 Cabernet franc, nuff said! — 11 years ago

Tooty Frooty

9.4

#tnwc #meow — 3 years ago

Tree Kilpatrick

9.1

Classy label. Rusty edge on the purple center. Aroma of dried things. Raisins, prunes, herbs, cherry too. Very cherry. Smells amazing actually. Flavors are nice. Fresh and juicy. Complex. Dense. Lovely balance. — 5 years ago

Michelle

9.5

Very Smooth — 6 years ago

Rob Pendell

9.0

Wonderful soft palate with notes of plum and blackberry. Some cherry on the front end with a hint of asphalt. Full mouthful of peach and grapefruit with undertones of almond, tobacco, pine, licorice, cardamom, red velvet, turmeric, oatmeal, cayenne, newspaper, Oreos, bicycle chain, chitlins, camembert, burnt umber, huckleberry, Ripple, plain yogurt, lemongrass, kohlrabe, anise, eggplant, kohlrabi, everything bagel, paczki, aspartame, caramel, coconut, latte, beef carpaccio, pine nuts, Wonder Bread, calamari, watermelon radish Jolly Rancher, aglet, sawdust, gnocchi and red grape. Finish is definitely Bruno Kirby. Pretty complex. — 8 years ago

Elisabetta Tosi

Wine Blogger Vinopigro

9.0

Balanced, long, elegant. — 11 years ago

Nena Madonia

9.3

I'm surprised by pro rating because I really enjoyed the wine after waiting it breathe. Great price too — 11 years ago

Michael Pfeffer

10

Gift from a wholesaler, impressed! — 11 years ago