Freddy R. Troya

9.6

Amici Cellars – Flora Marie Vineyard – Chard – 2018
Russian River Valley – Sonoma County – California, USA 🇺🇸

Overview
A benchmark New World Chardonnay and a true winemaker’s vintage. The 2018 growing season in Russian River Valley was cool and even, with no major heat spikes, allowing fruit from Flora Marie Vineyard to be harvested at ideal ripeness. This wine is all about patience, balance, and restraint, a Chardonnay that prioritizes purity and structure over excess, and one that quietly rivals top white Burgundies in poise and longevity.

Aromas & Flavors
Mineral-driven and refined on the nose, with delicate white florals and a subtle saline edge. The palate unfolds in layers: baked pineapple, citrus zest, yellow pear, and gentle stone fruit, all woven together with remarkable precision. The fruit is expressive yet never loud, framed by a quiet, savory mineral backbone.

Mouthfeel
Silky and composed, medium-to-full-bodied without weightiness. The texture glides across the palate with effortless balance, supported by fresh acidity and an underlying sense of tension. The finish is long, clean, and quietly complex, lingering without overreaching.

Food Pairings
Roasted chicken with herbs, seared scallops, halibut, lobster with olive oil or beurre blanc, mushroom risotto, or simply on its own as a contemplative glass. Equally at home at the table or in the cellar.

Verdict
A masterclass in restraint and purity. This is Chardonnay for those who value nuance, structure, and site expression over overt oak or power. Rare, hard to find, and deeply rewarding, one of the most compelling New World Chardonnays I’ve tasted.

Did You Know?
Flora Marie Vineyard is planted with Montrachet-derived clones from the Côte de Beaune, bringing Burgundian heritage into the cool-climate ridgelines of Russian River Valley, one reason this wine delivers such seamless balance between Old World elegance and New World clarity.

🍷 Personal Pick Highlight
This is my favorite New World Chardonnay. Period. Elegant, layered, and quietly profound. If you ever come across a bottle, especially this 2018, don’t hesitate. It speaks far beyond what words can capture. — a year ago

Shannon k.

9.1

I really like this. I'm seeing reviews saying funky and I agree with that... But it's not a bad funk at all. Definitely good fruit but also lots of butter and a great aftertaste. Not alcohol tasting, it's a rare one that's good in the mouth and leaves a great finish. I can't remember where I got this... Either WinCo or Costco or maybe total wine... I need to find it again though, it's really good. — 6 years ago

Martinez

9.0

Sometimes dismissed as Burgundy’s lowliest category, Passetoutgrains - which loosely translates to “all grapes allowed”- is a type of field blend made with at least one-third Pinot Noir and no more than two-thirds Gamay, traditionally planted and fermented together. In a territory prime for Pinot Noir, where this grape often reaches astronomical prices, however, Gamay is however gradually being pullet out, making Passetoutgrains an increasingly rare find. This juicy, quaffable blend is two-thirds Gamay from Gilly-les-Citeaux and one-third Pinot Noir from Chambolle-Musigny. — 6 years ago

Amier Taherzadeh

9.1

A savory California Pinot, which seems rare to find these days. A touch of VA gives the wine a sour cranberry note, raspberries, dried flowers and pomegranate. — 7 years ago

Tobin Trevarthen

9.2

Lovely pink. A rare blend of Malbec and Syrah. A beautiful find. Small production. — 7 years ago

Kara Lockwood

8.9

Nice find! Good organic Cabernet Sauvignon from Trader Joe's. Would buy again! Drink within the first two days of opening. — 9 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.3

100% Timorasso, delicious and somewhat rare as grape almost disappeared. Golden yellow color, interesting aromas of sweet stone fruits and very slight honey floral notes. On the full-bodied palate flavors of peach and very ripe apple with and oily texture. Long finish ending with fruit and honey mineral notes. Will age a bit. Very nice! Grab one if you can find it. — 2 years ago

Ron Siegel

9.4

Bizot tasting & lunch. Flight 1
Very rare with tiny production. Whole cluster with 100% new oak. When you taste these wines you can see why they have such high demand almost impossible to find & pricing is sky high. The 18’s were open & seemed ready showing beautiful red cherry, berry fruits showing purity & transparency with Leroy like spice & floral notes. Everything is in perfect balance. The 2020 will also be a great vintage
— 4 years ago

Jason Keefer

9.5

This is a review for Cepages d’antan since described couldn’t find it. But WOW! Super fresh, green apple and almond brioche. Really just reminds me of being in champagne, it tastes like the place! Made of rare varietals. But if you see! — 4 years ago

with Natasha

Stuart Pollack

9.7

Perfect wine with steak. Aged just the right amount. Powerful Aglianico tasting of balsamic vinegar , licorice, and leather. A very long finish. Dark red fruit to start. A great Taurasi. Strong licorice-tinged nose. Likely not ready to drink before now. Rare find worth drinking, especially for only $65. Underrated here since the prior ratings were likely done too early after the vintage. As is typical of Taurasi, it requires 1 hour decanting and 14 years of aging. — 6 years ago

Kim Stanbro

9.3

Rare to find an east coast wine like this. Grassy, delicious- worth a trip to the winery. — 7 years ago

with Kelsy, Dave and 1 other

Aaron Tan

9.0

Hmmm. Interesting. Not my kind of drink, but it offers complexity. Great with fried chicken 😋 B&S write-up:

This oddity of a kriek beer is rare indeed, for not only is it from one of Flanders’ original lambic breweries, it’s also made from a near-extinct sour cherry from the town of Schaerbeek. Historically nicknamed the “city of donkeys”, as donkey-drawn carts used to transport this rare Belgian varietal of sour Morello cherries, the prized fruit contains a level of depth, power and concentrated tartness which is about as close to an expression of terroir as you can find in beer.

Here, 25% old lambic beer is blended with 75% young lambic beer (made with whole handpicked Schaerbeekse cherries), before conditioning in bottle. It’s a rather straightforward process but proves to be genius – bold notes of dark berries, cherries, citrus, earth and almonds are just the beginning with this captivating offering – pour it into a big wine glass for a special taste of oude school authenticity. — 9 years ago

Pinotman /// Andreas

9.3

Totally agree with the high ratings from others.
Dirt cheap from K&L wines. Dark berries - black currants and blackberries. Plenty of acid. Tons of tannins so decant for a while this wine ROCKS 🌈. High score its very rare to find this kind of quality at this $. 💥 may be 1 in 100. — 9 years ago

with David and Dustin

Martijn

9.7

Wow! Golden color. Ripe apples, caramel, creamy. Have to find another bottle for our 25th anniversary though…… — 3 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.4

Sourced from one of the oldest vineyards planted in Valdeorras, Avancia. Godello was almost extinct at the end of the 1980s, so it is extremely rare to find a Godello produced from a single vineyard planted in 1904. Pale golden color with aromas of stone and citrus fruits with floral and spice notes, fermented in oak on its lees for 10 months. On the palate flavors of peach, ripe apple and lemon citrus with floral spice. Long finish ending with fruit, subtle oak and mineral character. Nice! — 4 years ago

Ryan Colthorp

8.9

Lots of forest floor and mushroom on the nose. Getting some sweet rhubarb and plum. First time with what was described as a cousin to Malbec - Jurancon Noir. Enjoyed this rare find. Hope to discover more! — 6 years ago

Ron Siegel

9.3

A producer who’s wines are always delicious, super rare & hard to find. This had notes of black cherry, lots of spice, licorice, menthol, crushed rock , mineral & violets. — 6 years ago

Sally Neal

9.8

Awesome champagne made without sulfur. Slightly nutty flavor with bright acid. Notes of red fruit and spice. A rare find. Buy it if you can find it. — 7 years ago

chris

9.0

Bordeaux blend from an appellation that has produced wine for 2000 yrs. Aged in oak since 1987 bottled in 2016. Rare find from Moldova. Dark red with a velvety finish and soft mellow tannins. $14.95! — 9 years ago

Amer S. Ahmed

9.1

A rare find and so welcome. Aroma of stewed pears and cloves, palate is all bruised fruit with lemon curd and caramel, finish is long and thirst quenching because the acid rings clear. More like these on lists please! — 9 years ago