Bob McDonald

9.6

Aromatics of struck match, lime and grapefruit - on the palate a surprising luscious texture. Overall there is fruit and mineral intensity. A fabulous new World Chardonnay - one of Australia’s best. A few years ago I conducted a blind tasting of 2015 Chardonnays which included all of Australia’s best like Giaconda and Leeuwin Art Series and a Premier Cru white burgundy just to make things interesting - the consensus winner on the day was the Bindi Quartz. — 25 days ago

Bob McDonald

9.7

At my 2015 Chardonnay Challenge of 6 wines. Very close consensus scores put this wine at 4th. 2015 was a warm year but this carried enough acid to easily last 10 years. Peaches and Nectarines. — 2 years ago

Paul K

9.4

@delectable this is DDLC estate Pinot.
Lovely evening with friends trying Pinots. This was wonderful. Tarragon was the consensus. 😄 — 3 years ago

with James

Austin Hohnke

9.1

This was firing on all cylinders tonight. Big and spicy. Earth and graphite but loads of wild, dark red fruit. I preferred this over the 2016 Fleur des Rouzes Pomerol, though that wasn’t consensus. — 4 years ago

Billy L.

8.9

CHARLES HEIDSIECK, BRUT RESERVE, REIMS NV- Champagne Tasting @ Hi-Time Wines Costa Mesa, (Consensus this was “Least favorite” 🍾 of 8; off-putting style…!?) — a year ago

Mark

9.0

Drank 3/9/23 with grilled salmon, more lush and less acidity than the typical Willamette chardonnay. No consensus on this, but leaning toward old school Napa. — 3 years ago

Kevin Løk

9.4

Delectable consensus is wayyy off. This is stupendous tremendous. — 3 years ago

with Caroline

Bob McDonald

9.7

At my 2015 Chardonnay Challenge the Giaconda was a consensus 3rd. Easily the most smoky, sulphidic, struck match of the 6 wines. I loved it. On the palate a powerful wine. Opulent. This wine is becoming difficult to source and sells out in a flash upon release. I drank my last bottle of the 2015 on 3rd May 2026 with consistent notes. Very smoky and sulphidic still at 11 years. Totally enjoyable. Giaconda Chardonnay Is almost impossible to obtain these days as is its neighbour Savaterre. — 2 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

Bruce Phillips and his wife were pouring their 2021. Talked w/ him at length. Very nice couple.

The 2021 showed well young with room for improving with 10-25 years in bottle and beyond. It showed some evolution, wasn’t all primary. Elegant, very well balanced with excellent structure and finish. Drink 2033-45 properly stored.

The general Napa consensus on 2022 vintage will be a story of did you pick before or after the 6 days of extreme heat during the harvest window. One producer told me his would add 5% of 2023 to some of his 2022’s, which is allowed. He mentioned that he was going to add 15%. But, I think he just misspoke? Get ready for an amazing 2023 vintage from Napa. It was a cooler, not hot-hot, which was a near perfect growing season for long slow even ripening. Some say a vintage of a lifetime and others would only say exceptional.

The Saturday-Sunday Pavilion tasting at Pebble Beach Food & Wine is an excellent four hours to taste a lot wine, taste curated dishes from chefs from all over the country and meet the people behind the bottle. These short ribs were one of the top two or three things I tasted at the Pavilion Saturday. — 2 years ago

Eric Urbani

9.5

We tasted seven white wines from Campania and Sicily, all single grape varietals, 2009-2012. Clear standout of the group, our consensus #1! — 5 years ago