March 12, 2024, San Jose, CA – J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines announced today a fresh new look and package for its J. Lohr Estates Riverstone Chardonnay – through four decades, it remains one of America’s most popular Chardonnays. The 2022 J. Lohr Estates Riverstone Chardonnay displays a brilliant new blossom-themed label and an easy-to-enjoy screwcap finish. The latest edition of this Monterey-grown flagship wine is making a big impression on retail shelves and restaurant lists around the country as it enters distribution.
The label’s bright, flowering quince border evokes the wine’s cool-climate origins and the stone fruit aromas and flavors within. The wine itself boasts the same famous J. Lohr Riverstone quality that fans have always enjoyed; the label proudly authenticates Riverstone’s“Barrel Fermented, Barrel Aged” character and bears the Certified California Sustainable seal. The new label and Stelvin screwcap closure align with the demands of today’son-the-go consumer lifestyle.
The 1987 vintage was Riverstone’s debut bottling. It was the first release in the famed J. Lohr Estates tier of wines. Jerry Lohr planted his first Chardonnay vines in Monterey’s cool, windswept Arroyo Seco region in 1972 and, over the years, J. Lohr has helped define Monterey’s style of Chardonnay: rich apple, pear, and stone fruit flavors backed by cool-climate acidity, integrated with a light touch of butter and oak from malolactic fermentation and barrel aging. Riverstone is all about balance – none of these attributes outshining the others – all working in harmony in one of America’s favorite Chardonnays.
“We never take shortcuts with Riverstone,” said J. Lohr VP of Winemaking Steve Peck. “The care given in our vineyards and cellars to produce this wine is incredible. Night-harvested fruit is pressed here on site, and the juice then flows to barrels for fermentation and aging for 7 to 9 months before bottling. The flavor and balance of real barrel fermentation and aging can’t be imitated. We use traditional small oak cooperage, with weekly lees stirrings by hand, to maintain freshness and elevate mouthfeel. A secondary, partial malolactic fermentation provides a creamy texture while still letting the fruit shine through. We experiment with multiple yeasts and barrel types every year as part of our effort to continually improve Riverstone, layering in as much flavor and complexity as possible.”
The vines for the J. Lohr Estates Riverstone Chardonnay are grown primarily on Elder loam soils underlain by “riverstones” deposited over thousands of years by the Arroyo Seco River. This unique combination of sandy loam and cobblestones keeps the vines’ growth and fruit in balance, while the cool climate and winds from nearby Monterey Bay extend the growing season, retaining the natural grape acidity and intense varietal character of Chardonnay. The J. Lohr winegrowing team has 10 different clones of Chardonnay planted in the Arroyo Seco: 4, 5, 17, 76, 95, 96, 548, 809, Hyde-Wente, and Mt Eden. Each adds to Riverstone’s layered complexity of flavors and textures.
“For many consumers, Chardonnay is often their entry into exploring wine,” commented J. Lohr Vice President of Marketing Rhonda Motil. “Accessibility and meeting the consumer where they are in their wine journey is critical in our evolving industry. The inviting new label, the conversion to a reusable screwcap, and the continued commitment to certified sustainable best practices make Riverstone an easy choice amid the many Chardonnay options on retail shelves.”
Though the 2022 J. Lohr Estates Riverstone Chardonnay is just now making its way into the marketplace, the professional judges at the recent 2024 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition got an early taste of this new vintage. They awarded Riverstone a Double Gold Medal, one of the highest accolades in its price category.
The J. Lohr Estates Riverstone Chardonnay is distributed nationally and internationally and is available in 3L, 1.5L, 750ml, and 375ml bottle sizes. More information is available at jlohr.com
