Victoria Elke Vineyard Chardonnay

Crisp and beat. Balanced and dry with hints of oxidation. Admirable clarity and balance for a US chard. Not wildly complex but a good wine, old world in style

This is a revelation. I didn’t know Cali Chardonnay, aside from Kistler, could age. Still youthful color. Very Burgundian nose has wet limestoney earth, a little hazelnut, lemon oil, gorgeous apple/pear fruit. Focused in the mouth, nice intensity and length, surprising freshness. Blind, I would definitely place this as being a very good village Burg.

So age worthy. Simply needed 5 years in the bottle. Powerful wine . The wine was so massive (Oak driven) - time to settle down. Absolutely not for everybody. This one could sit down for another 10 years.

Pale gold smells of new oak and wet stones toasty bread. In the mouth lean and bright with lemon curd pink grapefruit. 8.5-9

Jim Clendendan of ABC and Mel the barrel broker make this wine for gifts

Nice mature chard. A touch of nuttiness, oak, some ripe citrus leaning tangerine, good acidity.

#cougarjuice Mel the BARREL broker...some wood, yo

Ten years age has treated this well. Very good wine with developed stone and tropical fruits balanced by medium plus acidity and well integrated with butterscotch and hazelnut from French oak. medium plus finish. Fruit is a little upstaged by secondary but good integration makes it work. At $27, one of the better QPR I’ve come across.

Lemon curd and baked apples. The acid is keeping this surprisingly youthful for 8yrs old. I nice little chard for creamy dishes.

Au Bon Climat / Qupe Open House at Bien Nacido.