Tongue Dancer Wines Chardonnay Russian River Valley 2022

The Data

Country USA

Appellation Russian River Valley

Varietal Chardonnay

Retail Price $55

ABV 14.5%

Score 5 Stars/97 points

In the Glass

Appearance

Brilliant, medium color.

Aromatics

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.

Flavor

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.

Intensity & Texture

Medium to full-bodied and perfectly balanced with a voluptuous yet vibrant texture.

Cool Factor

Not many winemakers can make Chardonnay cool — it's ubiquitous — but Tongue Dancer delivers wines with personality and this new, unique blend is amazing.

Value Grade

Handmade Chardonnay from Russian River crafted in limited quantities is never to be found in the bargain aisle but we find this wine to be irresistible. It's made in limited quantities so get oit while it lasts.

Analysis

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.

How to Enjoy

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.