This advertising content was produced in collaboration with our partner, J. Lohr.
Since planting their first Chardonnay vines in Monterey in 1972, J. Lohr has embraced a simple, quality-focused motto: From soil to shelf. Their commitment to owning and managing vineyards, hand-crafting their wines, and controlling their own bottling and warehousing has made the brand a benchmark in the United States, especially when it comes to Chardonnay. This year, their emblematic Riverstone Chardonnay is breaking new ground with a vibrant label update and easy-to-enjoy screw cap closures.
The new label combines J. Lohr’s classic motif with a spray of flowers, hinting at the flavors within the bottle and recalling the winery’s cool-climate Monterey origins. The floral label stands out on crowded retail shelves, while drawing a connection to nature and J.Lohr’s status as a Certified California Sustainable winery. Simultaneously, the brand’s switch from corks to enjoy-anywhere screw caps appeals to contemporary drinkers eager to take wine on-the-go while also making Riverstone Chardonnay easier for service professionals to pour.
While the new label and closure represent a departure from J. Lohr’s traditional packaging, the wine inside remains the same testament to Monterey that’s captivated wine lovers for over 35 years. The 2022 Riverstone is a prime iteration of J. Lohr’s estate vineyards. It showcases rich apple, pear, and tropical flavors, supported by a refreshing vein of acidity that compliments a lightly buttery finish tinged with French oak spice.
Don’t miss the latest drinks industry news and insights. Sign up for our award-winning newsletters and get insider intel, resources, and trends delivered to your inbox every week.
The wine attains its balance of ripe fruit and fresh acidity from J. Lohr’s Elder loam soils and range of Chardonnay clones. Combining sandy loam with cobblestones, these soils naturally limit grape yields, resulting in well-balanced, nuanced Chardonnay grapes. In addition to making the most of Monterey’s penchant for retaining the acidity and intense varietal character of Chardonnay, the J. Lohr team cultivates 10 Chardonnay clones, including Hyde-Wente and Mt Eden, which are blended to yield Riverstone’s symphony of flavors and aromas.
In the cellar, white winemaker Kristen Barnhisel focuses on fusing the grapes’ natural flavors with texture and added aromatics from French oak. Both barrel-fermented and barrel-aged, Riverstone undergoes weekly hand-stirring of the lees to build flavor and texture into the wine.
By controlling quality at every step of the grape-growing and winemaking process, plus carefully detailing their results each vintage, J. Lohr brings a depth of knowledge to Riverstone that results in consistently refreshing, expressive Chardonnay. It’s a combination that’s proven to be captivating on restaurant menus and store shelves since its 1987 debut vintage—and shows no signs of slowing down.
