Cattleya 2022 'The Temptress' Chardonnay, Russian River Valley

Cattleya is a new label from winemaker Bibiana González Rave. Highly recommended.
Only 115 cases were produced.

96 Points Vinous: "“The 2022 Chardonnay The Temptress hails from the Martinelli Road Vineyard in the Russian River Valley. Aged for 14 months in 38% new French oak, it's an oily, voluptuous, texturally captivating wine. Ripe pear, apricot, marzipan, hazelnut and clementine aromas lead off, finishing with a trace of herbs—thyme, tarragon and mint. So round, long and caressing, this full-bodied Chardonnay is stuffed to the gills but manages to remain lithe and measured. It finishes almost comically long. What a beauty.”

94 Points Wine Spectator: "Smooth and sleek, with an aromatic note of fresh citrus zest giving way to white peach, pear and fresh apple flavors. Details of freshly grated ginger, white tea, sea salt and lemon blossoms add delicate grace notes, leaving an effortless impression on the long finish. Drink now."

Bibiana González Rave is the founder and winemaker of Cattleya Wines and Shared Notes which she makes with another star winemaker and husband Jeff Pisoni.  Born and raised in Colombia and trained as a winemaker in France, she moved to California in 2007 to settle into making extraordinary wines.  In her words: “Since my early teenage years, my dream has been to make wine. At a very young age I was fortunate enough to begin learning how to make wine in France. I trained myself while working with some amazing winemakers who showed me the importance of loving the land, how to respect the farming itself, and to focus on the many details that go into making each drop of wine in each and every bottle.”