Napa Valley Chardonnay

I haven’t had a lot of experience with Napa Valley Chardonnay but this was most enjoyable. Rich and mouth filling, creamy. Stone fruit and almonds. Barb said white flowers on the nose. Apparently this was picked early and malolactic fermentation was blocked. Oak influence is totally integrated - balanced. I paid $147 AUD in Brisbane in September 2021. A lot dearer than what you might pay in the States I would guess.

Magnum. Call it like you see it, drink it like you taste it; from a bad vintage or that is a vintage of a lot of rain at harvest. Jesus this was good. Perfect balance of acidity, toast, Carmel-curd. Roasted pineapple. This was a beautiful wine that showed zero age after 12yr, but also perfectly evolved. Loved.

I suppose there is no better place to start than with a fresh example of the wine that changed the game forever. This remains a very classic example of Napa Chardonnay in the most complimentary of ways. Ample fruit that lean on the more tropical (pineapple) side but falls short of being squishy. Lemon and lime citrus too. The oak is prominent for sure but it’s not a buttery mess. There’s good acid that gives plenty of lift and it finishes long. A very balanced wine that will probably benefit from 5+ years in the cellar.

Such a classy bitch. Stylish, refined, and youthful. Drinking so well right now with a fantastic mineral backbone. The oak influence is seamless but pronounced.

Still a polarizing wine though with some blind tasters recognizing the wine’s quality while still being put off by the genre of oaked California Chardonnay.

Pale yellow in color with a fruity nose.

Light to medium in body with medium plus acidity.

Dry and very fruity on the palate, with a nice mouthfeel.

Showing limes, lemons, light earth, light wood, green and yellow apples, light vanilla, herbs, spices, pears and white pepper.

This 7 year old Chardonnay is drinking very nicely now. Nicely balanced and feels much younger than it is.

47 years ago, this wine won the Judgment of Paris competition, and it is still showing great quality.

Spicy and entertaining. Elegant and fruity. Great by itself as a sipping wine.

I've had a few vintages of this Chardonnay, and it definitely gets better with bottle time. Consistently good and delicious now.

100% Chardonnay grapes were aged in French Oak barrels for 10 months.

13.6% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$60 (current vintage).

Long

Out of mag.

This 4 year old Napa Chardonnay is starting to drink nicely, but not there yet. Needs at least 5 years in the bottle to mature properly.

Medium plus in body with medium plus acidity.

Dry and fruity on the palate with nice complexity.

Showing lemons citrus, oak, vanilla, yellow and green apples, grapefruits, almonds, earth, minerals, and white pepper.

Good by itself and better with food.

A good wine to pair with seafood. A good quality wine.

13.9% alcohol by volume.

90 points.

I made some great notes on Sunday and then lost them! Overall a delicate wine with excellent oak treatment to match the lighter fruit. Under ripe white flesh stone fruit and grapefruit with a minor toasty vanilla note. Many of my previous experiences with Cali Chardonnay were overoaked but this had great balance and thoroughly enjoyable. I notice some other tasters noted ripe Chardonnay fruit - certainly not in comparison to Leeuwin Art Series in my experience.

Medium lemon color with aromas of ripe stone and citrus fruits and floral notes, no MLF. On the palate flavors of pear, apple and melon with notes of lemon citrus, honeysuckle and vanilla oak. Well balanced with acidity, long finish ending with fruit, toasty oak and slight mineral notes. A Fav!