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Peach, apricot, apple, pear, melon, pineapple, citrus blossom, caramel and vanilla.

In 1973 Cecil DeLoach, a firefighter from San Francisco with a penchant for winemaking, planted his first Pinot Noir grapes and pioneered the varietal in the Russian River Valley. Thirty years later, on his maiden voyage to Sonoma County, Jean-Charles Boisset fell in love with the region and recognized the similarities with his home in Burgundy: a confluence of river, mountains and grape-friendly soil. Widely acclaimed as a Pinot Noir expert, he purchased DeLoach Vineyards believing that Sonoma had the potential to rival Burgundy in creating world-class Pinot. Today, the vineyard is known for its Burgundian winemaking techniques and consistently prestigious wines. An ardent environmentalist, Jean-Charles has brought organic, biodynamic and sustainable farming techniques to DeLoach.
"Our Finest Selection" (O.F.S.) wines are crafted in small batches using the best fruit and most exacting techniques; they are bottled only in years when the winemaker feels the quality is high enough. The fruit for this Chardonnay is hand-harvested from select vineyards in the Russian River Valley. In addition to its vineyards, DeLoach has a fabulous half-acre organic garden; the fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers are used in meals prepared at the winery for visitors and overnighters at the guesthouse.

One of the classic Italian food and wine pairings of all time is Chardonnay with roast chicken. And when you try the DeLoach with my recipe for Chicken with Roasted Lemon and Rosemary Sauce, you'll taste why. In my recipe, boneless chicken breasts are cooked with potatoes, and the sauce is flavored with roasted lemon juice and rosemary and then finished with a little butter; the wine's rich and creamy character is the perfect complement to the opulence of the buttery, citrusy chicken.

Here's to Sonoma County, the Burgundy of California!