Mill Creek Vineyards and Winery

Chardonnays from Dry Creek Valley tend to stay within a more subtle, restrained range of styles than many of their more opulent and showy counterparts from outside of Sonoma, and across the state. They often remind me of Clarksburg or Dunnigan Hills Chardonnays (or perhaps it is the other way around). This is quite a feat for growers and winemakers given the tremendous natural potential for super-ripe fruit that brings us some of the best Zins in the country.

Owned and fully operated by the large Kreck family, this winery is built on a 55 acre ranch, though the family also owns 8 acres in Alexander Valley. This release, a lovely, clean, balanced, and food-friendly Chardonnay, is bright, yellow gold, and viscous. On the nose it has notes of butter, cream, lemon, vanilla, and toasted almonds. It is medium-bodied, round, and clean on the palate with a refreshing, lemony lift and oaky notes on the finish. This would be delicious with Crab cakes, a lobster with a meyer lemon, fennel and butter sauce, beer-battered Halibut, or lemon roast chicken with jasmine rice sprinkled with slivered, toasted almonds.

Reviewed July 12, 2007 by Catherine Fallis.