Platt Vineyard: A Remarkable Expression
The lineup at Platt Vineyard’s tasting room
Sometime last year, I received an offer for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from Platt Vineyard. It was not connected to any winery that I was familiar with - just Platt Vineyard. I was surprised and very curious, since I was aware of the popularity of the grapes from that vineyard, well sought after by winemakers. I was not aware of it being its “own” winery. My first response was to open up Anthony Galloni’s app “Vinous” to see what reviews might be available. To my surprise, the ratings and comments about Platt Vineyard wines were remarkable. I was amazed that the ’23 Platt Vineyard Estate Reserve Chardonnay had been awarded 100 points! A perfect score for Chardonnay? This was curious for me; and since I was able to purchase, I did. The newly released Pinot Noir was awarded 98 points. These are remarkable scores for what would be considered a new winery.
The story unfolds as the new owner of the Platt Vineyard – a renowned source of grapes for multiple wineries – is AXA Millésimes, which is a subsidiary of the French insurance giant AXA. They manage a large portfolio of wine estates across Europe including Bordeaux, Burgundy, Portugal, and Hungary. Their first entry into California was the purchase of Outpost Wines in 2018. Outpost is a wonderful winery that sits high atop Howell Mountain. As I learned, both wineries (Platt and Outpost) are locally managed by the individual who previously owned Outpost; so there is successful management in place for both wineries.
Platt Vineyard is located in the hills of Sonoma. It was planted in 2003 to Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. It is a high-altitude property with a maritime influence situated approximately six miles from the ocean. The vines grow in sandy loams with excellent drainage. It is highly regarded by winemakers. Prior to the sale of the vineyard, 20 different producers pulled grapes from Platt Vineyard. Such wineries as Littorai, Ramey Cellars, Failla, and Rivers-Marie made lovely wine from these grapes. Following the sale of the vineyard, Thomas Rivers Brown (who is the principal and winemaker for Rivers-Marie) will oversee the production of wine from Platt and remains the only winery to have access to the fruit for his own label. (Read my post on Rivers-Marie here.)
The main reason to even be interested in all this history is the wine that is being produced from this vineyard. The first estate release from the 2023 growing season is being met with rave reviews. They have opened a tasting room just off the square in downtown Sonoma. Just recently we had the pleasure to taste this first release of the wines. We tasted all four wines, and I have to say it was truly lovely. The Chardonnays, of which there are two, are smooth and full of bright citrus and very refreshing.
Here are the reviews of the reserve wines from Galloni’s Vinous:
The tasting room is hosted by a very gracious and educated individual, Chris Schreiner (Platt’s Director of Hospitality). It was a pleasure to sit and chat with him, enjoy the pleasant space, and luxuriate in the beauty of the wines. Platt Vineyard’s tasting room is one of the high points for tastings in the Sonoma Square.
Enjoy!
