Chardonnay (2017)

About this wine

This Chardonnay opens with inviting aromas of baked apple, Meyer lemon, and vanilla bean. The palate leans into ripe pear and yellow apple up front, then turns creamier with a clear crème brûlée note that reads more like caramelized sugar than sweetness. A gentle toast note sits in the background, giving the wine a warm, familiar California feel without crowding out the fruit. As it moves across the palate, you get a little citrus peel snap that keeps everything lively and clean. North Coast Chardonnay became a calling card for California in the late 1970s, when the state’s cool coastal influence started showing the world how serious these wines could be, and this bottle carries that classic balance of richness and freshness.

About the grape

Chardonnay is a grape with roots in Burgundy that became one of California North Coast producers main white varieties, and Willowbrook Cellars has worked with Russian River and nearby coastal sites since its founding to show that regional expression. The winery was founded and guided by winemaker Joe Otos who sources small high quality vineyards, often using cool maritime influenced sites and careful clonal selection to retain finesse in the fruit. In this Willowbrook bottling the fruit has typically seen oak aging and measured malolactic handling to build texture, with winery notes and retailer listings indicating barrel aging in French oak for several months and a portion of new oak used during élevage.

Quick facts

• 🍇 Willowbrook Cellars was co founded in 2001 by winemaker Joe Otos who still shapes their Chardonnays today
• 🗺️ Bottlings from Willowbrook are often labeled from broad North Coast sources yet collectors sometimes find single appellation versions like Russian River or Los Carneros
• 📦 A Willowbrook Chardonnay from this era is commonly sold through wine clubs and national retailers making it a cellar club favorite at approachable prices
• 🏅 Willowbrook Chardonnays have appeared in California state wine competitions and historic results show earlier vintages earned medals and attention
• 🍮 Tasting notes for Willowbrook Chardonnays often mention crème brûlée and tropical fruit which means the wine leans into a rich, crowd pleasing style

Palate profile

Producer

Willowbrook Cellars was founded in 2001 in Sonoma County when winemaker Joe Otos teamed with retired technology executive John Tracy and retired sales executive Ed Sillari to turn a shared passion for wine into a commercial winery. In its first two years the label produced roughly 500 cases focused on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay made from Tracy s Forestville vineyard. From 2003 the winery emphasized small, vineyard designated bottlings sourced across the Russian River Valley and nearby sites, and later expanded its range to include Syrah in 2008 and Zinfandel in 2011. The business operates out of a Sebastopol address where it has used custom crush facilities and partnerships to craft small lot wines that highlight specific vineyard microclimates.