Anderson's Conn Valley Vineyards
Fournier Vineyard Chardonnay
Carneros, North Coast, California, USA
Popped and poured; served double-blind. The wine pours a deep burnished gold color with no signs if particles or gas. Medium viscosity. On the nose, the wine is vinous. Powerful notes of desiccated tropical fruit: pineapple, mango, and star fruit with some dried apricot and lemon pith. Oxidative notes of nuts, mushroom and spices compliment. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium acid. Confirming the notes on from the nose. The finish is long, creamy and slightly sherried. Based off what is presented in the glass, this wine has at least 10-15 years of age, possibly more. Initial conclusions is this could be Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, or Riesling. Personally, I didn’t get the acid of Riesling or Chenin so I was leaning pretty heavily towards Chardonnay. I then vacillated between New World or Old World…which is tricky territory for me since I don’t have a lot of experience with old Chardonnay from either. There was undoubtedly generous fruit…and use of oak…so if this was from the Old World, it was likely going to be Burgundy from the Côte du Beaune. And that’s what I called, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru from a warm vintage like 2005. I’ll be damned…a 1999 Anderson Conn Valley Chardonnay?! Wild. This has held up remarkable well. That being said, aged Chardonnay may not be for everyone. In the off chance you have any of these laying around, I would drink now.
Popped and poured; served double-blind. The wine pours a deep burnished gold color with no signs if particles or gas. Medium viscosity. On the nose, the wine is vinous. Powerful notes of desiccated tropical fruit: pineapple, mango, and star fruit with some dried apricot and lemon pith. Oxidative notes of nuts, mushroom and spices compliment. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium acid. Confirming the notes on from the nose. The finish is long, creamy and slightly sherried. Based off what is presented in the glass, this wine has at least 10-15 years of age, possibly more. Initial conclusions is this could be Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, or Riesling. Personally, I didn’t get the acid of Riesling or Chenin so I was leaning pretty heavily towards Chardonnay. I then vacillated between New World or Old World…which is tricky territory for me since I don’t have a lot of experience with old Chardonnay from either. There was undoubtedly generous fruit…and use of oak…so if this was from the Old World, it was likely going to be Burgundy from the Côte du Beaune. And that’s what I called, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru from a warm vintage like 2005. I’ll be damned…a 1999 Anderson Conn Valley Chardonnay?! Wild. This has held up remarkable well. That being said, aged Chardonnay may not be for everyone. In the off chance you have any of these laying around, I would drink now.
Apr 28th, 2023