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. — 4 days ago

Luis Arguero (@winefromAtoZ)

8.9

Better than average. Met my expectations and then some. Cheers 🥂 — 5 years ago

Andy Stabile

9.0

Found this old bottle from some old buddies who got me into wine. Lost track of the over them years but so nice to find this bottle so many years later. Dusty, salty, dry, a little Sangiovese spice. Love it!
Thx Mario & Massimo! — 6 years ago

Mark Lindzy

9.0

A fruit-forward Rioja, not much wood aging, and a touch of garnacha and graciano perks it up too. Easy drankin' red, fo' shizzle. — 11 years ago

Gab Floramica

9.2

#livewine #livewine2015 — 12 years ago

Mac McCarthy

9.2

Beautiful nose, nice finish. — 12 years ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.2

2021 vintage. Medium body. Excellent, approachable right off the bat Barolo with above-average depth that's not scary. Almost out of the similarly styled 2019 (same score) and will move into this vintage in a month or two. 7.22.26. — 2 months ago

Brandon Boesch

9.4

Ultimate pizza wine. It’s not what you expect from the region, but it is so lovely. Tart fruit some of it kind of tropical but also tart. There’s herbs and maybe fresh cut hay, it is so juicy and yet savory. Excellent wine and price. Great example of a natural wine changing the norm of what you think for the region. — 2 years ago

James Mitchell

8.9

Elevated yet simple go-to white wine. Bright, warm, graham cracker at the beginning. Sits easy on the back flavors. — 4 years ago

michael pandolfo

8.9

Deep Golden color. Beeswax in the nose. Lots of honeyed white fruit with a hint of soy. Medium finish — 6 years ago

Ben Richardson

9.5

Drinking with my babe while reading books in Modica at Casa Caterina. — 8 years ago

Frankie Mirenda

9.0

Cab/Merlot/Syrah Great Pizza Wine! — 12 years ago

Chris Zitzman

9.4

This thing is a rocker. Contender for "cheeseburger wine of the wine of the year". Mouth-coating with a juicy finish- it's yet another example for me to love what wine maker Anna Monticelli is busy doing

..even- and maybe especially- in those odd, off years in the Napa Valley. — 12 years ago

with Beth

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.4

2016 vintage. Light-medium/medium body. Currently, a feminine-styled Barolo. Leaner and focused on the deep tracks vs the big, obvious hits. Enduring tho. 7.22.26. — 2 months ago

Matthew W.

9.1

Fruity, bubbly, and light. Great summer beverage. — a year ago

Brandon Thiessen

9.1

Light, bright, juicy, delicious. Dustiness on the nose makes for a better fit with food. — 4 years ago

Cathy Corison

Owner/Winemaker Corison Winery

8.9

At Kongsgaard, music for Maggy — 5 years ago

Lesley Russell

9.3

#drinksatantonios — 6 years ago

Lesley Russell

9.6

Made by Mario and Anna Monticelli — 11 years ago

Andrew Lampasone

Owner Wine Watch Selections

9.0

Wow a good amount of fresh earth dried meats graphite mineral and still has a goo amount of dark fruit plum and cherry — 12 years ago