Freddy R. Troya

9.4

Chappellet — Grower Collection “Five Blocks” Calesa Vineyard Chardonnay 2020
Petaluma Gap AVA, Sonoma County, California, USA 🇺🇸

Overview:
A very limited-production Chardonnay sourced from the Calesa Vineyard in the Petaluma Gap AVA. Built from cool-climate tension and precision, this 2020 vintage elevates the profile of the wine with greater depth, layered complexity, and remarkable balance while preserving the vibrant tropical-citrus core characteristic of the site.

Aromas & Flavors:
Intense yet refined aromas of lemon curd, tropical citrus, baked guava, white peach, and subtle lychee, intertwined with delicate white spices and hints of mandarin zest. The palate unfolds in layers with vibrant citrus energy, savory mineral nuances, and beautifully integrated oak.

Mouthfeel:
Exceptionally balanced and textured. Fresh acidity drives the wine from start to finish, while a striking tension on the back palate gives the wine precision and lift. Creamy without heaviness, polished without excess, finishing long, energetic, and remarkably composed.

Food Pairings:
Butter-poached lobster, scallops, roast chicken with herbs, creamy seafood pasta, miso-glazed cod, or aged Comté.

Verdict:
A serious and highly expressive Chardonnay that showcases how powerful and refined California Chardonnay can become in the right cool-climate hands. The 2020 clearly steps above the 2022 in complexity, texture, and overall precision while still maintaining the vibrant tropical freshness that defines the vineyard.

🍷 Did You Know?
The Petaluma Gap’s cold Pacific winds naturally slow ripening and thicken grape skins, helping Chardonnays develop both concentrated flavor intensity and the kind of acidity-driven tension more commonly associated with top cool-climate regions. Cheers! — 2 months ago

Anthony Auger

9.5

Light golden in color. Green apple aroma with a little baking spices in the background. Tartness is my original impression with a mandarin orange mid-palate through finish. The body remind me of a sarsaparilla soda as I sit with the glass longer the first sip back becomes more floral, reminiscent of apple blossom. This is a beautiful sparkling that’s a treat for Sunday brunch. — 3 years ago

Tom Garland

9.0

Pop and pour. A remarkable light gold color. On the nose: subtle notes of lemon, toasty vanilla oak , green apple, honey, slight pineapple on the end. Taste: creamy, soft, juicy wine with mandarin, minerals, honey, plenty of butterscotch, pineapple, hint of white pepper, and a dry slightly herbal bitters medium plus finish.... Eeh. — 5 years ago

with Brenda

Bob McDonald

9.5

This won the Trophy for the best White Wine at the Toowoomba Wine Show last weekend and went on to win Champion Wine of the Show. Colour is very pale lemon. Notes of green Apple - skins and flesh, also Lime. The palate has quince and mandarin notes - quite unctuous and fleshy on the palate - low acid and medium plus intensity. Even though the winery is in the Granite Belt/Ballandean the fruit is from Chalmers Vineyard in Mildura in Victoria. The 2020 vintage in Ballandean was probably the most challenging on record with droughts, fires and record low yields. As a result, no Vermentino was harvested at Golden Grove Estate. — 6 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.1

Prior notes from March 2020 still apply. Most enjoyable and refreshing - mandarin and lime juice notes on the palate. Diminished acid. I hope European Riesling makers continue to use screw caps. Would be difficult to find an Australian Riesling producer who doesn’t use screw caps these days. — 6 years ago

David Shaw

8.9

Revisiting this vintage, last bottle. Pale yellow, sparkling clarity. Tropical fruit, citrus notes on nose (pineapple, orange or Meyer lemon). Lemon, mandarin orange pith flavors with creamy lees finish, tart lime aftertaste, at least initially. Hint of straw. Grapefruit pith emerges in the finish after an hour. — 7 years ago

Roberto Carli

9.5

Salmon color with copper reflexes. Nose of grapefruit, and Mandarin peel, lemon juice, pink flowers, and petrichor. Faint Aperol on the back. Palate is explosive but not effusive. More grapefruit oil, lemon pith, garrigue, waves of saline minerality and a bright acidity that makes it go on and on. Pretty serious argument on why it deserves its reputation is the best rosé in the world  — 7 months ago

Scott E. Becker

9.0

[Tasted on April 6, 2024 at Home with Linda and Joel]

Blend of 55% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay and 15% Pinot Meunier. Mandarin orange, apricot, pear and red fruits, with honey, ginger, vanilla and toast. — 2 years ago

Mark Eastom

9.3

Amazing. Honey, waxy, almost abrasive fresh flowers (in an amazing way) hay, wet wool, mandarin orange, spice, medium plus bodied and unbelievable acidity. WOW. — 3 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.0

A tiny oxy note on opening. Almond, marzipan nutty notes together with pear. Not a full on sweet dessert style like a Sauternes. Palate of lime marmalade and ripe mandarin flesh and a good discussion around the table with some time Delectable correspondent and WSET Level 2 , daughter Georgie. I have one of these bottles left which should be consumed this year. From half bottle. — 4 years ago

with Georgina and Hugh

Lee Lightfoot

9.2

Mandarin, floral bright mineral not overoaked. Not too complex, very delicious fantastic value — 6 years ago

with Alex

Matt Perlman

9.2

It seems like the price of this creeps up every year which is vexing. The speciale is rich and intensely vinous and umami, with cutting acidity (non-malo) tart green apple and mandarin orange, spearmint, spice and toast. Still think I prefer the basic cuvée pound for pound — 7 years ago

Lee Pitofsky

9.4

Rich and complex with notes of mandarin orange, red cherry, spices and wildflower honey. — 7 years ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.2

This is an amazing IGT out of international variety Sauv. Blanc, it has a up lifting acidity, mild citrusy, mandarin peel. Compelling sapidity, nice minerality, dry and very refreshing. A subtle touch of wood, and low in AVB% 12. Deliciously mouthfeel. Cheers! — a year ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.6

Orange tinged gold colour . Very fruit driven still , lots of yellow fruits , crystallised orange peel , clementines , vanilla , spiced apricots . On the palate quite rich and decadent , lots of ripe yellow fruits , apricot , peach and then mandarin and caramelised orange . Touches of honey , vanilla , creme brûlée. Slightly bitter caramel tinged finish , with good vibrant acidity, balanced alcohol , long and elegant finish . Tastes so young still , maybe having been recorked in 2005 has something to do with that . Drinking well now but will still be perfect in another 20-30 years — 2 years ago

Jason

9.2

Very soft scent - lemon, citrus, grass. Lingering lasting flavour! Antelope, citrus, mandarin. Coats the mouth. AU$110 — 4 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.6

See previous notes - just an outstanding CdP white comprising 80% Roussanne, 15% Grenache Blanc and a few other varieties. Lovely aromatics of musk, apricot and pear. The palate is rich without being heavy - a note of mandarin. Medium minus acid. Just delicious - finding yourself reaching for another glass. Easter Sunday aperitif. — 5 years ago

Brian S

9.2

Pineapple, Lemon, lime zest, mandarin, peach, green apple, creme brûlée, butterscotch. — 5 years ago

with Ellie

Bob McDonald

9.0

Mid Lemon in colour. Aromas of White Citrus flowers and a note of Mandarin. Lime and lemon on the palate with the citric acid having settled down from its youth. Not particularly complex - just a refreshing German dry Riesling 12% ABV. Good QPR at about $35AUD. Tasted again 18 weeks later on 16th January 2021 with similar impressions. There was mandarin, citrus oil and honey. No complexity to speak of but fresh and well presented - from an excellent producer. — 6 years ago

Becca

9.7

Mandarin orange notes, light, refreshing. Genuinely loved. — 7 years ago