Jarvis has always been such a unique producer with its incredible underground facility and fascinating lineup of wines. Their Finch Hollow Chardonnays (this one and the Unfiltered version) are outrageously expensive, but they sure know how to deliver on flavor profile.
My notes here are actually quite similar to the 2015 I opened last year, but everything is a touch more restrained. Normally quite rich with expensive oak usage, this seems nicely balanced…it’s almost fresh in profile. Sweet lemon cream alongside marzipan and sea breeze aromatically. From a phenolic standpoint, it’s close to some of the Aubert offerings with its powerful texture. Finishes with a surprising amount of honeysuckle, caramel dipped apple, and honeycrisp. This seems to be built for a bit longer aging compared to the 2015. I’ll be curious to see how the 2018 is. — 2 years ago
Monthly WTF group recap. Theme this month was “bring something special”. Normally we taste all of the wines blind, but we decided to do a relaxed night with amazing wines at a great restaurant. Spectacular evening!
This was my contribution. Again, it was paired next to the filtered ‘11 vintage and the colors were incredibly different, with this being hay/straw colored with just a touch of cloudy appearance. If guessing blind, I would have called this Aubert SugarShack (which I love). Medley of lemon cream, marzipan and honeyed sea salt on the nose with a rich and powerful profile on the palate, yet it is nimble...perfectly balanced. Sweet oak, caramel dipped golden delicious apple at the finish. — 5 years ago
Pushing a 1/4 century and still amazing. Most people would never hold a Ca Pinot this long. While it is the other side of peak, it is not that far off. Loads of; blackberries, dark cherries, poached strawberries, plum, dry cranberries, pomegranate, black raspberries. Red licorice/cola, steeped fruit tea, mint, tree bark with sap, dry twigs, dry dark earth and top soil, grilled meats, light, semi-fresh tobacco, dry leaves-brickish notes, cinnamon stick, nutmeg, hints of vanillin, fresh and withering dark & red florals, beautiful acidity and a well balanced, structured, wire to wire finish that lasts two-minutes. Bravo Charles. Vineyard is in Santa Lucia.
Happy Labor Day weekend! — 8 months ago
drinking beautifully, a bit more power than the Diamond T we tasted side by side (from the same vintage) — 4 years ago
Fantastic unoaked Chardonnay- grapes shine thru! — 9 months ago
A highly perfumed nose evokes fresh honeydew melon Meyer lemon pear nectar and white flowers and a smoky mineral nuance builds as the wine opens up. Sappy concentrated and incisive on the palate offering intense citrus and orchard fruit flavors and chamomile and saffron flourishes. A dusty mineral element adds vibrant lift and cut to the impressively long sharply delineated finish which leaves behind a suave floral note. — 3 years ago
Marc Melser
We had the 2017 Vintage on 3/1-2-24. Medium Garnett in color. Black cherry and cinnamon on the bouquet. Black cherry, black raspberry and cardamom on the palate. Some oak and earth as well. Medium bodied. Unmistakable California Pinot Noir. Very good. — 2 months ago