From our mountain vineyard that overlooks the Sonoma Coast in the Fort Ross-Seaview American Viticultural Area, Fort Ross Vineyard & Winery produces limited quantities of single vineyard, Estate grown, cool-climate Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinotage. With spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean less than one mile away, the vineyard is divided into 32 separate blocks, one-half to two acres in size, that range in elevation from 1700 down to 1200 feet above sea level. Owners, Lester and Linda Schwartz with their small crew began preparing the 52-acre vineyard in 1994. It took them 4 years of preparation before they could begin planting. The year 2000 marked the first vintage from the Fort Ross Vineyard.

94 Points - Wine Enthusiast
This lengthy wine from the coastal estate is dark golden in color, with a great mouthfeel of tension and supple tannin. Vibrant flavors of apple, Asian pear and melon give it substance within a light, refined style - Virginie Boone

92 Points - Wine Spectator
A refined and open-textured style, with spicy richness to the cream-filled white fruit flavors. Pastry accents midpalate lead to buttery notes on the fresh and engaging finish. Drink now through 2025.

92 Points - Jeb Dunnuck
Next up, the 2019 Chardonnay Fort Ross Vineyard showed beautifully, with a clean, crystalline, yet rich, medium-bodied style that delivers beautiful crushed citrus, lemon, white flower, green almond, and spice-driven aromas and flavors. With plenty of density on the palate, it stays remarkably well-balanced and has a great spine of acidity as well as a clean finish. Relatively tight and holding things close to its vest, it will benefit from a year or two of bottle age, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see it still drinking brilliantly at age 10.

★★★★ - The Press Democrat
A chardonnay with great structure and layered flavors. Aromas and flavors of melon, Meyer lemon, hazelnut and a hint of toffee. While weighty, its mineral notes give it lift. Balanced, yet it has a rich note of caramel in its lingering finish. - Peg Melnik, April 2022

★★★★ Restaurant Wine, Ronn Wiegand MS/MW
Full bodied and supple, with subtle, complex flavors (pear, white peach, pineapple, toast, candied lemon, oak), good balance, and a medium long finish. Can develop further.