Buy any 6 bottles and get free Ground shipping

Sphaerics Chardonnay If And Only If Upper Barn Vineyard Alexander Valley 2024

Reviews

98 - Decanter -

Sourced from the original 1982 plantings at Jackson Family Wines’ Upper Barn site within their Alexander Mountain Estate Vineyard, this Chardonnay is planted to Wente Clone on AxR1 rootstock at 1,800 feet of elevation. The same parcel once contributed fruit to Marcassin’s Gauer Vineyard Upper Barn bottlings and Peter Michael’s Mon Plaisir during Mark Aubert’s tenure there in the 1990s and early 2000s, and has been used exclusively by Stonestreet since 2010. The wine was aged 11 months in 70% new French oak, followed by 5 months in stainless steel before being bottled unfined and unfiltered. The 2024 vintage shows remarkable poise and clarity, defined by cool, crisp acidity and chiselled stony minerality. Fragrant white flowers lead into layers of lemon oil, lemon curd, candied ginger, quince, and warm brown spices. Each element is expressive and precise, with depth, purity, and impressive length. A deeply flavorful wine of tension and refinement; pure, delineated, and elegant. Sphaerics was founded in 2022 by Brian Ball and Laura Jones, a husband-and-wife team of wine industry veterans. The wines are made by Laura, who fine-tuned her Chardonnay and Pinot Noir winemaking skills during a 5-year tenure at Aubert and a stint at Domaine Armand Rousseau.

94-96 - Vinous -

The 2024 Chardonnay If And Only If is pliant, yielding and extremely generous today. Showing slightly less phenolic/mineral intensity and a notably softer build than the 2023 tasted alongside, the 2024 impresses for its roundness and approachability as it emanates layers of floral-infused citrus fruit, marzipan and ripe apricot. A worthy follow-up to the 2023.

Technical Details

Blend 100% Chardonnay
Winemaker Laura Jones
Country US
Region California
Sub Region North Coast
Appellation Sonoma County
Vineyard Upper Barn site within Alexander Mountain Estate Vineyard
Farming Method Precision Viticulture
Oak a combination of French oak barrels & stainless steel tanks
Aging / Cooperage 11 months in barrel, 5 months in stainless steel
Alcohol 14%

Sphaerics Chardonnay If And Only If Upper Barn Vineyard Alexander Valley 2024

Name: Sphaerics Chardonnay If And Only If Upper Barn Vineyard Alexander Valley 2024
Brand: First Bottle
SKU: 1013933
Price: 164.95 USD
Availability: InStock

Chardonnay | California

DC98, VN94-96

SPECIAL: Ground shipping included on 2+ bottles!

Precision Viticulture

$164.95

750ML

We spent time with the Sphaerics team not long ago, an enthralling new project led by winemaker Laura Jones, and our tasting left us in total and complete awe. She and her husband Brian Ball founded the winery in 2022 after she’d spent time honing her craft at noteworthy spots like Aubert and Domaine Armand Rousseau. The Sphaerics wines are made in a very similar style to Aubert and White Burgundy, coming from a very focused, small-production winery that’s entirely dedicated to single-site Chardonnay. It’s exciting to see talented winemakers like Laura carving out space and building something of her own – especially at such a high level.

The 2024 “If And Only If” Chardonnay comes from the heralded Upper Barn Vineyard, set 1,800 feet above the Alexander Valley. The vines were originally planted by Jackson Family Wines in 1982, at one time contributing fruit to Marcassin’s Gauer Vineyard Upper Barn and Peter Michael’s Mon Plaisir (during Mark Aubert’s time there) in the ‘90s and early 2000s. Since 2010, the fruit has only been used by Stonestreet, but when offered the chance to secure some, Laura jumped quickly as she could. Read the glowing reviews for yourself, and see the wonder of a wine that impeccable sourcing and thoughtful winemaking/aging can create.

About The Producer

Sphaerics was founded in 2022 by winemaker Laura Jones and Brian Ball, focused predominantly on Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The project emphasizes site expression through thoughtfully sourced vineyard sites across premier coastal regions like Carneros and Sonoma Coast, with a winemaking approach rooted in precision and balance. Drawing on experience from top estates including Aubert and Domaine Armand Rousseau, the wines reflect a modern, detail-driven perspective on California Chardonnay and Pinot.

Your Cart

You May Want to Add

Are you an existing First Bottle customer?