Arnot-Roberts
Watson Ranch Chardonnay
Napa Valley, California, USA
This was young but lovely. Creamy, viscous, citrus zip, chamomile, spring meadow
This was young but lovely. Creamy, viscous, citrus zip, chamomile, spring meadow
Mar 31st, 2024
One of the few CA Chardonnay I enjoy. You can spend more on one, but for under $40, this works really well.
Arnot-Robert’s rides the fence of CA Chardonnay & White Burgundy nicely. Has a bit of Ca Chardonnay backbone with the creamy body of White Burgundy.
Nose does not show much at first. Green apple, pear, lemon, lime. White peach, caramel notes, cardamom, paraffin, cream, yellow & spring flowers.
The body is creamy with nice viscosity. Green apple, pear, lemon, lime. White peach, caramel notes, cardamom, paraffin, cream, very light honey notes, sea spray, light chalkiness, yellow & spring flowers. Excellent round acidity, beautiful, soft structure, well balanced and a pleasant finish.
A couple more years in bottle add a point or two & more complexity. .
A little history from their website. Watson Ranch Vineyard is perched on a steep hillside overlooking the San Pablo Bay at the southernmost end of the Napa Valley. The ranch was named after early Napa attorney, Augustus Watson, who owned the property in the early 1900s. The adjacent property is an abandoned limestone quarry which historically employed over 300 people, mining material to make portland cement used to rebuild San Francisco after the 1906 earthquake.
One of the few CA Chardonnay I enjoy. You can spend more on one, but for under $40, this works really well.
Arnot-Robert’s rides the fence of CA Chardonnay & White Burgundy nicely. Has a bit of Ca Chardonnay backbone with the creamy body of White Burgundy.
Nose does not show much at first. Green apple, pear, lemon, lime. White peach, caramel notes, cardamom, paraffin, cream, yellow & spring flowers.
The body is creamy with nice viscosity. Green apple, pear, lemon, lime. White peach, caramel notes, cardamom, paraffin, cream, very light honey notes, sea spray, light chalkiness, yellow & spring flowers. Excellent round acidity, beautiful, soft structure, well balanced and a pleasant finish.
A couple more years in bottle add a point or two & more complexity. .
A little history from their website. Watson Ranch Vineyard is perched on a steep hillside overlooking the San Pablo Bay at the southernmost end of the Napa Valley. The ranch was named after early Napa attorney, Augustus Watson, who owned the property in the early 1900s. The adjacent property is an abandoned limestone quarry which historically employed over 300 people, mining material to make portland cement used to rebuild San Francisco after the 1906 earthquake.
AR chard just gets better and better with age. Still fresh 11 years in. Lemon curd and hazelnut.
AR chard just gets better and better with age. Still fresh 11 years in. Lemon curd and hazelnut.
Aug 11th, 2023
On the mellow vs racy end of the spectrum when it comes to the AR chard lineup but not a slight. Chamomile, pear and sage with light sensation of brown butter
On the mellow vs racy end of the spectrum when it comes to the AR chard lineup but not a slight. Chamomile, pear and sage with light sensation of brown butter
Nov 22nd, 2021
The 2019 Chardonnay Watson Ranch is open-knit and seductive. Orchard fruit, chamomile, spice and dried herbs all meld together in a pliant Chardonnay that offers a striking mix of textural richness and energy. Watson Ranch is the southernmost vineyard in Napa Valley, a cool-climate pocket that yields a Chardonnay of real distinction. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, January 2021)
The 2019 Chardonnay Watson Ranch is open-knit and seductive. Orchard fruit, chamomile, spice and dried herbs all meld together in a pliant Chardonnay that offers a striking mix of textural richness and energy. Watson Ranch is the southernmost vineyard in Napa Valley, a cool-climate pocket that yields a Chardonnay of real distinction. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, January 2021)
Aromas & flavors of blended Golden Delicious/green apple, Meyer lemon yellow peach, golden plum, mango, banana, fresh herbs, wild flowers, spice box, and buttercream. Full bodied but not heavy on the palate due to the acidity keeping it afloat. Nice hints of saline tinged minerals. Lovely Chard!!
Aromas & flavors of blended Golden Delicious/green apple, Meyer lemon yellow peach, golden plum, mango, banana, fresh herbs, wild flowers, spice box, and buttercream. Full bodied but not heavy on the palate due to the acidity keeping it afloat. Nice hints of saline tinged minerals. Lovely Chard!!
Oh, that California Chardonnay could all aspire towards this kind of apogee. @duncanarnot has captured resinous grapefruit pith and lemon curd sunshine in a bottle. Silky and zingy with gorgeous acidity.
Oh, that California Chardonnay could all aspire towards this kind of apogee. @duncanarnot has captured resinous grapefruit pith and lemon curd sunshine in a bottle. Silky and zingy with gorgeous acidity.
Jun 6th, 2020I am not the biggest fan of a lot of CA Chardonnays but, I have come to fully embrace Arnot-Roberts, this vintage & terrior.
This is not a wine you want well chilled...better just under room temperature. When well chilled, it loses too much of its beauty & sheer elegance. Shows more CA Chardonnay structure/backbone with big green apple. When it is cold it does pair better with the Lattebusche Piave Vecchio...a drier, harder cheese. When it warms, the best choice is the Jasper Hill Farms soft, full cream. white, Harbison.
After it has warmed & had about a half-hour of air, the nose is rounded, lush & ruby. Sweet & sour lemon, green & golden apple, overripe pineapple, guava, green melon, kiwi with skin, lime candy, caramel, gentle, white spice, just a glimmer of, herbaceousness, chalk, grey volcanics, melted, brown butter with yellow flowers/lilies, jasmine, spring flowers with mixed greens.
The body is rich, lush and full, a touch gluey with good viscosity. Sweet & sour lemon, green & golden apple, overripe pineapple, guava, green melon, kiwi with skin, tangerine, lime candy, honeysuckle, caramel, cream, gentle, white spice, just a glimmer of, herbaceousness, chalk, grey volcanics, limestone, melted, brown butter with yellow flowers/lilies, jasmine, spring flowers with mixed greens. The acidity is phat, round and really well done. The rich, well balanced, elegant, long finish is delicious, settling into persistent, delicate white spice.
Just misses 94.
Photos of; Arnot-Roberts vineyard, staff at harvest and Duncan Arnot Meyers (left) and Nathan Roberts in their vineyard in Forestville, where they have Trousseau planted.
I am not the biggest fan of a lot of CA Chardonnays but, I have come to fully embrace Arnot-Roberts, this vintage & terrior.
This is not a wine you want well chilled...better just under room temperature. When well chilled, it loses too much of its beauty & sheer elegance. Shows more CA Chardonnay structure/backbone with big green apple. When it is cold it does pair better with the Lattebusche Piave Vecchio...a drier, harder cheese. When it warms, the best choice is the Jasper Hill Farms soft, full cream. white, Harbison.
After it has warmed & had about a half-hour of air, the nose is rounded, lush & ruby. Sweet & sour lemon, green & golden apple, overripe pineapple, guava, green melon, kiwi with skin, lime candy, caramel, gentle, white spice, just a glimmer of, herbaceousness, chalk, grey volcanics, melted, brown butter with yellow flowers/lilies, jasmine, spring flowers with mixed greens.
The body is rich, lush and full, a touch gluey with good viscosity. Sweet & sour lemon, green & golden apple, overripe pineapple, guava, green melon, kiwi with skin, tangerine, lime candy, honeysuckle, caramel, cream, gentle, white spice, just a glimmer of, herbaceousness, chalk, grey volcanics, limestone, melted, brown butter with yellow flowers/lilies, jasmine, spring flowers with mixed greens. The acidity is phat, round and really well done. The rich, well balanced, elegant, long finish is delicious, settling into persistent, delicate white spice.
Just misses 94.
Photos of; Arnot-Roberts vineyard, staff at harvest and Duncan Arnot Meyers (left) and Nathan Roberts in their vineyard in Forestville, where they have Trousseau planted.
This bottling has continued to improve and is drinking beautifully right now. Still has that richness cut with clean acidity but also is showing a very pleasant oiliness.
This bottling has continued to improve and is drinking beautifully right now. Still has that richness cut with clean acidity but also is showing a very pleasant oiliness.
Feb 14th, 2020