J. Lohr – 2023 Riverstone Monterey Chardonnay

J. Lohr – 2023 Riverstone Monterey Chardonnay.

Being a high class, yet very recognizable style of Californian Chardonnay, this wine embodies the iconic style of its region. With over 50 years of experience, Founder Jerry Lohr has introduced high quality winemaking techniques to California. This Riverstone Chardonnay by J. Lohr is one of the most popular wines in their portfolio. 

The name of this wine, “Riverstone”, refers to the terroir of the vineyards, which are situated on the bed of the former Arroyo Seco River. In addition to loam, the soil contains many old river stones: river stones.

About the Winery

Jerry Lohr has been an established winemaker ever since 1972 in a district of California, USA, named Arroyo Seco, Monterey. This entails that he has been one of the first to introduce high quality winemaking into the region of California. Carrying the motto “Never a dull moment”, it is evident that Founder Jerry Lohr has been a pioneer for both Monterey and slightly later for Paso Robles, two totally different climates. Where Monterey is known for its cool, windy climate and rocky soils, Paso Robles is known for its rich soils and dramatic diurnal temperature swings between warm days and cool nights. Providing enough opportunity to grow a great variety of grapes and thus produce a wide range of wines.

About the Wine

The vines for this exact wine are primarily grown on the former riverbeds of the Arroyo Seco River. The loam and river stone terroir enable a perfect growth of the vines, while providing an optimal number of grapes in order to ensure fantastic quality. The cool climate and winds in the area retain the freshness of the grapes, resulting in a pleasant level of acidity in the wine. 

Fun fact: the Riverstone Chardonnay has been awarded with the “Certified California Sustainable Winegrowing” seal from the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance.

The 2023 Chardonnay is made from 100% Chardonnay. However, J. Lohr has planted ten different clones of Chardonnay and blends each vintage carefully, adding more complexity to their wines. This wine was fermented and aged in barrels. In this step of the winemaking process, diversity and complexity were added by the usage of different types of oak, like French, American and Hungarian oak. This was evidently rewarded with additional depth and richness, which is immediately obvious in the glass.  

This approachable and everyday Riverstone Chardonnay reveals a wonderful golden colour. In the nose, the aromas of vanilla, peach, apple, and citrus are rather expressive. On the palette, additional tones of butter, caramel, and butterscotch appear. The cool climate is definitely noticeable given the relatively high levels of acidity in this wine. Despite the rather full-bodied structure, the balance is magnificent with a slightly bitter tone in the finish. The high level of alcohol adds a bit of sharpness, which is quite pleasant given the creamy, secondary tones of this oaky Chardonnay. This powerful wine leaves an interesting medium finish. The winemaking techniques are evident while tasting the wine, but the fruitiness of the grapes is preserved as well resulting in a well- balanced wine.

This 2023 Riverstone is a characteristic example of a Californian Chardonnay. Interesting as is, but even more enjoyable paired with a tasty dish, such as lobster, creamy mushrooms or pasta with a creamy chicken sauce. In addition, roast chicken or other seafoods will provide an excellent pairing.  

Conclusion

The popularity of this wine is completely proven after tasting this 2023 Riverstone Chardonnay. The wine lives up to its expectations and offers great quality. The authentic winemaking techniques are clearly prominent, creating a rich and delicious glass of wine. This every day wine can be enjoyed on numerous occasions, making this wine diverse and highly enjoyable. 

We award this wine a 91-point DWA score—a full bodied, balanced, and iconic Chardonnay that showcases the region, its terroir and the quality J. Lohr ensures in their wines.

This review is written by our own Marlon Rouw. Wines from J. Lohr and this 2023 Riverstone Monterey Chardonnay are distributed and sold in the Netherlands by Bovino, and can be bought online through their webshop.

Taste Date:     April 2026

Winery:           J.Lohr