Wine of the week: Olema, 2014 Sonoma County Chardonnay

Bobby Donnell describes his Olema chardonnay as fruit-driven with oak riding shotgun.

An edgy yet apt description and the reason Donnell’s wine is our wine-of-the week winner.

The Olema, 2014 Sonoma County Chardonnay at $15 is balanced with a yin yang that’s rich and crisp. It has aromas of apple and pineapple. On the palate, it has notes of apple, caramel and the quench of lemon. The Olema has a round texture and a lingering finish.

Donnell, 43, the Olema winemaker, said the style he’s shooting for is “balanced…the right amount of French oak to lift the fruit of the chardonnay and let the grape itself be the focus.”

The challenge in crafting the chardonnay, Donnell said, is achieving pitch perfect balance.

“I strive not to mask or hide the fruit behind oak, but use the oak to lift the fruit to the surface,” Donnell said. “For me, I balance the chardonnay fruit with the proper amount of oak and malolactic fermentation.”

The Olema brand is building a solid reputation with consistency, Donnell said.

“I think this is also what really sets Olema chardonnay apart: quality and value,” he said. “It’s a great bottle of wine for a great price. Our consumers know what they are getting every time and we know what they have come to expect.”

Donnell said he’s been well schooled in winemaking on both sides of the Mayacamas.

“My strength is that I’m coming from working not only closely with great winemakers in Napa Valley but also with great winemakers in Sonoma,” he said. “I get to see both sides and different styles of winemaking. I get to see people making bold Napa cabs and lush, velvety chardonnays from Sonoma. I get the best of both worlds, taking different fermentation styles and different practices from both sides.”

The Olema brand is a second bottling of Calistoga-based Amici Cellars. Donnell joined Amici Cellars in 2012 as assistant winemaker. Today he has full responsibility for Olema.

Donnell has a bachelor’s degree in hotel and restaurant management from Texas Tech University in Lubbock Texas, graduating in 1996. He completed UC Davis with a winemaking certificate extension in 2010.

The winemaker said what happened behind the scenes to make the Olema turn heads was “tasting, tasting and more tasting.”

“What sets it apart is religiously tasting and getting feedback from every lot, from production to bottling, to be sure we are blending and sourcing properly.”