Beverage of the Week (BOW)

Tongue Dancer Wines Chardonnay Russian River Valley 2022

Product Story

The 2022 Tongue Dancer Wines (TDW) Russian River blend Chardonnay is the third release of this wine and as you would imagine — they have all been stellar and instant favorites at BevX. We could sum this up in a word — Wow — but we should probably tell you a bit more about the wine. It's a blend from three vineyards: Bacigalupi, Pratt Irwin Lane, and Pratt Vine Hill and in 2022 the portions are delivered in equal parts. This wine delivers something different with every sip. It’s a challenge in the most perfect way. This wine is 75% barrel-fermented, aged in French oak for 15 months (25% new), and bottled unfined and lightly filtered. We absolutely love this wine as we did the debut and somehow it’s even better than the great 2020.

Brand Story

Tongue Dancer Wines is the creation of James and Kerry MacPhail. If you are a California Pinot Noir lover you likely know James' previous work with MacPhail Family Wines. James knows how to make amazing Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and James knows a lot of people who grow spectacular Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. We have been reviewing the wines from Tongue Dancer for the better part of a decade and we have never seen a Tongue Dancer Wine fail to earn Four-Stars or better. Tongue Dancer is constantly innovating, releasing new wines every year while never missing a beat. Last year they surprised us with the release of a great, dry cider! This is a winery to watch. The wines are always in short supply so be swift. Visit their website and join their mailing list to get direct access to their wines.

Tasting Note

Brilliant, medium color. The aromatics are wonderfully intense, offering scents of honeysuckle, lemon curd, and citrus zest with supporting notes of candied ginger, lychee, green tea, and meringue. The palate confirms the nose delivering a ripe orchard fruits-driven core with flavors of white peach, apricot, tropical fruit, and quince paste. The finish is long and lingering with lovely lemon zest notes. Medium to full-bodied and perfectly balanced with a voluptuous yet vibrant texture.

How to Serve

Serve chilled but not too cold or you will suppress the subtle nuances abundant in this wine. Pair it with grilled salmon or duck confit.

Price: $ 55

BevX Review: http://bevx.com/wine-detail/?id=4375