🇺🇸 House of Brown Chardonnay 2022 (Lodi, California)

This is California Chardonnay for people who like their whites confident, not clingy. Bright, smooth, and quietly smug about how good it tastes for the price.

Wine Description 
House of Brown is the Brown family’s “come as you are” label, built to make their wine world more accessible without watering it down. The 2022 Chardonnay is sourced from Lodi (Cosumnes River) and it comes in hot with a clean, polished style that leans fresh and food-friendly. 

Winemaking is straightforward on purpose: fermented in stainless steel and aged sur lie for three months, so you get texture without getting punched in the face by oak. Also, it’s a Chardonnay with a little Chenin Blanc in the mix, which explains the extra zip and lift when you taste it. 

If you want a “butter bomb,” keep walking. If you want a bottle that feels like it knows what it’s doing, welcome home. 

Vine-To-Table: Meet the Winemaker
Winemaker: Coral Brown. She’s credited as House of Brown’s Director of Winemaking and has spoken about building her palate through years of writing tasting notes and curating pairings at Brown Estate, then pursuing a winemaking certificate at UC Davis. That’s not corporate polish, that’s lived-in experience. 

The Vibe 
Golden-hour energy, clean white tee, expensive perfume, and just enough attitude to be interesting. This is the bottle you open when you want Chardonnay that feels put-together, not try-hard, and it plays nice whether it’s a Tuesday dinner or a “we’re having people over” situation. 

What it tastes like 
Think stone fruit and apple up front, a little citrusy gloss, a hint of vanilla in the background, then a crisp finish that keeps it from getting flabby. The producer calls out honeysuckle, lemon curd, and golden apple, and Wine Enthusiast’s review vibe lands in the same neighborhood.

Pairing + When to drink it 
This is a yes for roast chicken, creamy pasta, seafood, and anything you’d squeeze a lemon over. Drink it now for the bright, fresh vibe, or stash it short-term if you like your whites a touch more mellow.

Quick Specs 

• Producer: House of Brown (Brown family, Brown Estate umbrella) 

• Winemaker: Coral Brown 

• Region/Appellation: Lodi, California (Cosumnes River) 

• Grapes: Chardonnay (85%), Chenin Blanc (15%) 

• Vintage: 2022

• Farming: Regeneratively farmed, certified sustainable, vegan-friendly (producer-stated) 

• Winemaking/Aging: Stainless steel fermentation, aged sur lie for 3 months 

• ABV: 13.5% 

• Bottle size: 750 ml

Critic Reviews

• Tonya Pitts, Wine Enthusiast, 91 points, reviewed vintage: 2022, date: July 1, 2025
  Short take: crisp, fruit-forward Chardonnay with a clean, satisfying finish.

FAQs 
Q: Why did the Brown family create House of Brown in the first place?
A: House of Brown was established to expand access to the Brown wine experience beyond their flagship Brown Estate label. The producer frames it around “Feel Seen” hospitality and broader inclusion in who gets to feel at home with wine. 

Q: What’s the “Do no harm” thing House of Brown talks about?
A: The Brown siblings were raised in a medical household and worked in their parents’ clinic, where “Do no harm” became a guiding principle they carried into wine. It’s part brand ethos, part family origin story.

Q: Is the 2022 House of Brown Chardonnay actually a Chardonnay blend?
A: Yes. The producer lists it as 85% Chardonnay and 15% Chenin Blanc, which can add extra lift and brightness compared to a straight Chardonnay bottling. 

Q: What does “aged sur lie” mean on this bottle, and how long was it done?
A: “Sur lie” means the wine rests on spent yeast lees after fermentation, which can add texture and a subtle creamy edge. For this wine, the producer states three months sur lie aging. 

Q: Who is Coral Brown and what’s her role with House of Brown?
A: Coral Brown is identified as House of Brown’s Director of Winemaking and is part of the founding family behind Brown Estate. A trade-facing producer profile notes she developed her palate through years of tasting-note and pairing work, then pursued a UC Davis winemaking certificate. 

Q: What does “vegan-friendly” mean here, and is it producer-stated?
A: The producer explicitly describes House of Brown wines as vegan-friendly. In practice, that typically means no animal-derived fining agents are used, but the key claim here is the producer’s own statement.