J. Lohr Estates Riverstone Chardonnay
J. Lohr Estates Riverstone Chardonnay is the barrel-aged Chardonnay that helped define Monterey County wine — 750mL, grown in the Arroyo Seco AVA, barrel-fermented and aged on its lees in French and American oak, pouring ripe orchard fruit and citrus over a creamy, oak-framed palate. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor.
- Size: 750mL
- Grape: Chardonnay (primarily clone 809)
- Origin: Arroyo Seco AVA, Monterey County, California
- Winemaking: Barrel-fermented, aged on the lees (sur lie) in French and American oak
- Style: Rich, oak-framed California Chardonnay
Arroyo Seco's River Stones, In the Glass
The Riverstone name is literal: the Arroyo Seco vineyards are strewn with the rounded river stones — the locals call them Greenfield potatoes — that the Arroyo Seco river carried down from the Santa Lucia range, and the stony, well-drained soils over a cool, fog-washed bench are what Jerry Lohr bet on when he planted Monterey in the 1970s. The Chardonnay there ripens slowly through the cold Pacific nights, and the cellar treats it classically: barrel fermentation, lees ageing for creaminess, and a French-and-American oak frame. It has been one of California's benchmark value Chardonnays for decades. Pour it from our white wine shelf, browse the wine cellar, or see the estate on the J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines vendor page.
Tasting Notes
Nose: Ripe pear, apple and citrus with vanilla and toasted oak. Palate: Creamy and full from the lees ageing — orchard fruit, a citrus lift and a frame of baking spice. Finish: Long and balanced, fruit and oak settling together.
How to Enjoy
Serve well chilled with roast chicken, creamy pasta, grilled salmon or a simple buttered lobster — the wine's richness wants food with some fat to work against, and its acidity keeps the pairing fresh.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Riverstone Chardonnay grown? In the Arroyo Seco AVA of Monterey County, California — a cool, fog-influenced appellation named for its dry riverbed and famous for the rounded stones in its vineyard soils.
What does "sur lie" ageing add? The wine rests on its spent yeast lees in barrel, which builds the creamy texture and brioche-like depth that define the Riverstone style.
Is Riverstone an oaky Chardonnay? Yes, in the classic California mould — barrel-fermented and oak-aged — but the Arroyo Seco acidity keeps it balanced rather than heavy.
Monterey's benchmark barrel-aged Chardonnay — buy J. Lohr Estates Riverstone Chardonnay online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.