Tasting Notes 91 found

Dinner at S.K.Y. (Chicago, IL): Says something when the 12-year-old chardonnay is darker than the 40-year-old Auslese. Premoxed. (2573 views)

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Casual dinner at S.K.Y.: Oxidized. I've always appreciated R-M chard in their youth for the ripe, lush character. This one was not built to last. (1809 views)

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The Fruit was mostly gone, but had enough to enjoy. Well made wine that has aged well. (1530 views)

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Oldish, dark yellow ~ fragrant spring blossoms, lemon curd and Vanilla bean nose ~ caramelized Meyer Lemons, ripe pear, roasted nuts ~ still showing good fruit, but fading ~ medium finish lasted about 20 seconds with a pleasant after taste. (1589 views)

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Great aromas of apples, honey, & kiss of Carmel. Ripe apple flvars with zippy acid creates real balance. Everything is turned up here, but in very good way. Nothering shy here, but it's lovely and works. I really liked this. Drink up. (2603 views)

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Very good, but I enjoyed this much more on release in it's more sumptuous and lively youth. Full nose has aromas of ripe orchard fruit and spice. Palate is a bit heavy with rich and concentrated orchard fruits. Acid is there but seems to be losing the battle with fruit. I'd drink up. (1914 views)

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Good Wine with an Exciting Super Bowl (Chez Kailin - Northbrook IL): Rich apple aromas and flavors, clearly fully mature with some fun butterscotch notes. Very good concentration, which is helping this hold up, but still time to drink up. (2787 views)

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Dark color gave me some initial concern. Rich and mature orchard fruit on nose and palate. Powerful start combines with leaner, crisper finish that I really enjoy. Good now, I wouldn't cellar this any longer. (2771 views)

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charming nose of putty, wet stone, lemon, and green apple with some white flower overtones. palate shows loads of acid, very light oak, and citrus and crisp green apple. finish is dominated by the citrus and acid (4099 views)

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I've seen the notes over time regarding oxidation and I believe TRB has gone on record to explain that O2 was introduced, unintentionally, during pre-bottling. Whatever the case may be, this bottle from magnum, was glorious. One of the best CA Chard experiences I can remember. Wonderfully aromatic with a profound balance of richness, acid and length. Lemon curd, with the occasional pineapple flavors and a very complex nose. It seemed very Meursault 1er Cru to me in character (think Matrot Perrieres without the premox). This bottle never let up over the course of the evening. I kept going back to it all night and with 13 people around, not a drop left. Divine stuff! (2373 views)

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14.1% alcohol. This has aged nicely. Medium yellow color. Pretty nose shows some baked apple notes and a buttery wood edge. Certainly more mature than it was four years ago. Supple on the palate, with the acidity having mostly resolved. Tapers a bit on the finish. Nice stuff but not as good as it was younger. A- (2642 views)

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This was really good tonight with fresh Halibut, and sweet chili Brussels Sprouts. Wine has rounded out and is now a nice golden color in the glass. I'm not sure if it can improve (its great where it’s at), but I don't think it is in any danger either. (3343 views)

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Checking in on this one after nearly 4 years. Medium golden color, with light aromas of apples, pears, and a hint of spice. The palate shows beautifully maturing flavors that are very nicely balanced, with citrus fruit, brioche, and light vanilla bean notes. Plenty of life now, but I would drink remaining stocks. Very nice chardonnay. (2642 views)

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Dark yellow, almost caramel in the glass which led me to believe it was oxidized, but the wine was excellent with good acidity and honey and pear notes. A very different type of Chardonnay that was much better than the younger Kistler chardonnays in flight. (2275 views)

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golden in the glass. beautifully balanced with nice tight acidity, honey citrus notes, and a touch of pear. it went amazingly well with lemon thyme roasted chicken. this really left me wanting more (3649 views)

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Golden in the glass with sweetish white and yellow fruit notes, a touch of wood, good acidity and great balance, a lovely wine and drinking well now (2890 views)

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Simply delicious chard with similar tasting notes as 2011. I guess I lucked out with 2/2 killer bottles. Great with ziti carbonara! (2198 views)

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A hint of oxidiation but not enough to be undrinkable. Must be lucky. Pretty tasty actually. (2426 views)

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Another Saturday at Knightsbridge - mostly blind (Northbrook, IL): Dark golden color. Lots of ripe apple and pear aromas with good background spice. Same lush fruit on palate with very crisp character from lively acidity plus good minerality. An impressive Sonoma Coast chardonnay. (3210 views)

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Oxidized (1996 views)

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I am going to pass on a write up, I think '07 was not the year for Rivers Marie Chard... (1905 views)

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Oxidized, bought on winebid - clearly the seller knew this - may he/she burn in h*ll, future buyers beware (2157 views)

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Gold color with some haze. Sweet aromas of peach, butterscotch, and apricot. Palate has sweet apricot and peach preserve with some orange marmalade and marzipan notes that suggest this bottle is over the oxidation edge, which is disappointing given the age - for a '97, that would be fine; for an '07 it is premature in my book, even from California. Some strawberry and lemon notes come into the finish, which is medium in length. In stark contrast to the previous bottle which was fresh and on the other side of the line. Drink up. (2292 views)

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Chef's Table at the Pearl Dive Oyster Palace: An initial wave of sweet tropical fruit and hazelnut hits but followed by a decaying finish that has a hint of nutmeg and oxidation. Definitely not gone, but I would drink up sooner rather than later. (2977 views)

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Definitely showed some of that oxidation on the nose making this smell like a well aged but not over the hill Cali Chard. It showed more in between on the palate with a mix of young lean Chard characters and notes of oxidation. Not gone but clearly in line with some of the bottles showing an issue. This would have drank alright if the palate was integrated so the oxidation was melded. (2425 views)

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After reading some discussion about this wine on WB I dug one of my two out to try. Chilled, popped and poured. A bit too cold at first - I like my whites a little cooler than room temperature. The wine is golden in the glass. The nose is primarily of butterscotch and pineapple. And it is similar on the palate, with some tropical fruit notes. Juicy acidity bursts in the mid-palate and it stays lively for a Lon finish. This must be a good bottle, without the oxidation others have noted. I'll hold my remaining bottle in the hopes it is from the same barrel. (2509 views)

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This has proven to be a real chameleon of a wine. This bottle is actually racy, with some nuts and citrus, and is very compelling. Fresh and vibrant. Last of my four, and every one of them has been very different from the others. As an update, this is pretty much shot on day 2. (2434 views)

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Bronze in color. Still a lot of acidity and citrus and minerality, no oak. Tasted more like a white burg then cali chard. Finish started to fall apart towards the end of the night. Seems like its on a decline. (2806 views)

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Wonderful nose with citrus, mineral, and a hint of oak which carries to a delectable palate and finish with refreshing acidity. Drinking beautifully now! (2817 views)

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Pop and pour. This wine has aged significantly IMO since my last bottle, which was 14 months ago. I would concur with the comments about the color, as it pours now a golden/bronzy hue. Aromatically, it smells a bit aged too, with kind of a poached apple nose. The palate tastes fine, although I would be hard pressed to guess this to be a wine only 4 years old if served blind. Shades of banana, pineapple, with a thicker weighted texture. Reminds me a bit of a late harvest wine, all things considered. There is some acidity still here, to go with the lemon curd but I would say to drink these now if you have them, as these are not going to age any better, perhaps the opposite. This is my last one, I am doing it with some cod tonight and will put some chill to it for a crispening effect. (3153 views)

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Nose is actually quite nice, showing a bit of pineapple, but not seeming as advanced as the last bottle. On the palate, an interesting combination of lemon chiffon and tropical fruit, but has a bit of an odd chalky finish with some prominent acidity. Better than the last bottle, but not sure this has any upside potential. (2919 views)

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Light-medium gold color. Somewhat tropical, seems a bit advanced. Fruit seems to be fading a bit, acidity prominent. Not bad, but not what I had hoped for. (2882 views)

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Developed. Drink now. (2942 views)

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Very honeyed colored, not much on the nose. At first taste, very acidic, biting and burning with a strange aftertaste. An hour later, it became more tame, but there was still a strange aftertaste, a bit corky..... re-corked, will check back in tomorrow, but I think this was an off bottle (2809 views)

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Pale yellow with a light haze to it. Rich nose of lemon, candied ginger, pineapple, mango, butterscotch, white chocolate, and toasted hazelnuts. The palate is full throttle with a huge hit of butterscotch followed by buttered pineapple, candied ginger, candied lemon zest, vanilla, and spiced pear that leads into a medium-long finish that is infused with a heavy dose of oak that leaves a bitter element lingering on the palate. This is not shy stuff, but really hits a button with me in the way that some Kistler offerings do. For me, this is big in the right way when I'm in the mood. Expect this to get more dull from the wood with time in the bottle, but it won't fall apart. Drink or hold. (3050 views)

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Lots of butterscotch, vanilla, and almond paste on the nose - lacked any hint of freshness! Palate was big and dense with marshmellow, marzipan and honey. An average wine. (3117 views)

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Suntacular 2011 (FMIII Home): Medium dark straw color. Bright fruit with a creamy mouthfeel and buttery finish. medium/heavy weight. (4122 views)

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Hmmmmmmmm. I am an outlier. I love RM but this chard was disappointing......yellow gold, seemingly oxidized and not very pleasant. I hope my remaining bottle is better. (4108 views)

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Some lemon curd on the nose, with a little bit of closed-off oak. Burnt popcorn aromas as well. Very light texture, with some crispness and creaminess. Tart. An excellent, light chardonnay. (3468 views)

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DC Berserkers - West Sonoma Coast - Ruth's Chris Steak House: Super interesting. On the nose, opens up with boatloads of fat lemon curd. All sorts of citrus elements in this -- lemon zest, lemon juice, some lime, and some pear. Some caramel/butterscotch, some honeydew melon, and some more lemon curd. On the palate, a beautiful wine. Huge and creamy mouthfeel combined with acidity that balances it all out. Mouth-coating. Delicious. (4588 views)

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Spring Feast with Eclectic White Wines (Chez Christianne, San Francisco, CA): Light medium golden yellow color; lanolin, botrytis, apple, hazelnut, butternut nose; creamy textured, intense, tart citrus, tart apple, ripe lemon palate; medium-plus finish (3248 views)

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Here is a wine that we've had at many offlines, yet we've never popped one of our own. Tonight was the night as we dined with our good friends Tom and Denise. They were bringing their son Tommy's new pinot noir, so I wanted to bring a white so that his Russian River pinot noir was the star, and it was. This however was popped and poured at Drew's Bay Shore Bistro in Keyport, NJ, and well worth the wait! Gorgeous golden straw color in the glass, with just a tinge of green to it. On the nose, tons of citrus, ranging from lemon, lime, pear, pineapple, and melon with just a hint of spice. On the palate, the first thing I noticed was how creamy this was, with great acidity and balance. This is why I love Thomas Rivers Brown's wines! More of the same on the palate, with some elements of honey, and just a bit of spice. Overall, this wine was a rockstar, and extremely enjoyable! 92 points! (3528 views)

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Nose of lemon peel, some oily nuances, little bit of nuttiness, pineapple, and peach. on the palate this is a medium bodied chardonnay, has a fuller Meursault like feel to it but does not have the same amount of salinity. Acidity prevents the wine from being flabby, but you can notice the oak, while not obtrusive is present. Overall a very good CA chardonnay but I would not mistake this for a white burgundy. (3838 views)

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Clean; Good depth (3828 views)

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New Years Eve Lobsterfest! (Roberts House, Philadelphia PA): medium gold color with some slight green tinge. medium intensity nose of honeydew melon, asian pear, honeycomb, and toffee ice cream (some toffee evident, but seems diluted). palate shows more of the melon with some tropical fruit and white pepper. medium (+) acidity is most prominent on the midpalate and leading into a well rounded medium length finish that adds citrus peel to the prior notes. I might be low on score -- the richness isnt quite there, but the melon flavors are delicious and it has a surprising complexity. (4725 views)

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so so so good. drawn in by the beautiful deep golden color. notes similar to prior TN. drinkers remorse - wish I had more. drank at Kin Shop. (3925 views)

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Citrus, white fruit, slight almond and stones on nose. Palate fleshes out out citrus fruit to an almost oily rich texture, but beautifully cut with acid and mineral to make this almost light on its feet. Has some finesse, bare sense of complexity, great balance, terrific with white a rich black cod dish. (3586 views)

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Delicious! Quite a treat since I've never been a big fan of Chards. Too bad this was my last bottle... (3448 views)

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Spottswoode Vertical (Urbana, Washington, DC): Tones of almond paste, tropical fruits, and a slight nuttiness come across on this dense wine. The palate is rich, complex and balanced. After an hour or so, there was a waxiness that began to develop that was elegant and firm. Candied pears, honeycomb, meyer lemons and chalk flavors meld together creating a deep, complex chardonnay. Overall, this is an outstanding wine that teeters on the edge of elegance and extravagance. (4085 views)

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needed a few hours to really open up. deep golden color. butterscotch, coconut & creme brulee on the nose. grilled pineapple on the palate. again loads of acidity & minerals on the finish. super concentrated. excellent for the kind of style it's made in, but it's just not my type of chardonnay. prefer the littorai thieriot style. (3721 views)

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Motley Cru does Off the Beaten Path (San Marcos, CA): Of the three non-typical California Chardonnays, this was the most California-like in that I got some notes of sweet butterscotch and vanilla. This probably led to my liking it the most, because it came the closest to fitting in my wheelhouse. It also had bright, vibrant citrus fruits, with some melon/tropical fruit influence. I'm not sure this will improve much (for my palate) so I would recommend drinking in the next year or two. (PE: 91) (4592 views)

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This wine had a nice dark yellow color. The nose was very perfumy with pineapple, other tropical fruit, citrus and a hint of vanilla oak. In the empty glass, the wine left behind the sweet smell of crème brulée. On the palate, pineapple, lemon curd, and other tropical fruit flavors were prominant. The oak influence was there but nicely understated. Citrus stood out on the finish and kept the wine lively and fresh. After gaining a day's worth of air, the body became more silky and oily. Very enjoyable chard. (3593 views)

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This is a really nice California style chard. Light gold. Beautiful nose subtle with hazelnut and lemon. A joy to drink now I will hold the other one for a year (3654 views)

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A wonderful chard. that is just drinking great. A serious wine that has a great nose. My only complaint is that I could only buy 3 bottles and this was the last one. So good now it's hard to believe that it will improve but it may. (3674 views)

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14.1% alcohol. This is just smashingly good. Surprisingly full yellow color, but the bouquet and palate is of a much less evolved wine. Gorgeous nose of citrus oil, apple, and minerals, with a touch of oak. In the mouth, profoundly concentrated and exceptionally pure. The fruit unfolds in amazing layers, like great puff pastry -- there's always another layer coming to the forefront. There is a distinct, refreshing lemony note to the slightly tart fruit, coupled with vibrant acidity, a touch of spice and solid minerality. Exquisite finish just carries along. A (3503 views)

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Lime oil, some coconut, nice texture but what did it for me was the appearance of the mineral in the wine. Not to the extent of a chablis but there was some here. Clean palate, great balance and while a couple comments at the table were critical about some heaviness on the finish, I'll stand alone for the group and call this wine excellent. Really enjoyed it. (3723 views)

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Similar notes to before. (3721 views)

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Bright and precise lemon rind, pineapple. Concentrated, yet crisp. Nice balance. Gains length and rounds out with air, revealing subtle talcum notes on the finish. Never compromises its energy and refreshing finish. (3630 views)

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Great straw color. Draws you into picking up your glass. Great acidity but works with the lemon curd and vanilla bean. These guys are good. The oily consistency mixes with the white toast points at the back end. (3827 views)

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Opened not decanted and served chilled. There is a heaviness to the body which gives it some weight. A semi-sweet entry with spicy acidity; there is deep honey and light hay on the nose with some floral notes. Ends with a grassy, green and spicy finish. Terrific wine. Very Good. (3545 views)

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This wine actually lived up to the hype. Just a beautifully balanced chardonnay that is terrific now but should be even better in a few years when the oak moderates. I don't drink much Cali Chardonnay but if more of them were made this good I would. I only have one complaint - my allocation is too small. A wonderful wine. (3611 views)

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First flight of wines on the night. Thought it was very good, and terrific lemon and citrus, some acid, alot going on. Very enjoyable, but very young. No other notes taken (3258 views)

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Delicious and really concentrated with a crisp and creamy texture and notes of lemon curd, apple cider, and a refreshing splash of citrus. (3531 views)

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Cracked my first Rivers Marie Chardonnay last night at dinner. Wow is this concentrated. I remember when this came into the winery the pH was really low...amazing how concentrated this turned out. I loved it.

Notes of lemon, stone fruit, honeysuckle with some barrel spice in the background. Reminds me of a brighter/citrusy Aubert....It is concentrated but it has enough acid to wear the weight well. We have a couple more and I would love to hang on to one for 10 years and see what happens... (4031 views)

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Good. Wish i had more for everyday drinker. (3598 views)

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Lemon curd, baked Alaska, graham cracker, butterscotch, white peach, and stone. A bit fat but ultimately more concentrated and less cerebral than the Littorai from last night. Excellent. Best @ cellar temp. Very comparable to a Girardin 1er Cru (great fruit, pretty oaked for the distance). (3141 views)

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Obvious in its style, but obvious for what it is. Not one for long aging, but fun to drink now. (3322 views)

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I want to believe. But it's hard to believe with a shaft of oak up your nose. It did go well with teriyaki marinated chicken sticks because of the sweet oak so I'll give it credit for that. Attractive in weird non-varietal way. Maybe the hint of botrytis throws it off. (3423 views)

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A bit too oaky for me with out the mineral balance. Flabby. (3282 views)

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Awesome, bright bitter lemon peel. Rock and mineral aromatics blossom in the mid palate to repeat a lemony, oily persistence. The brightness eventually fades on the finish to reveal lees and baby powder. (3227 views)

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Golden yellow in color and clear. A rich bouquet of spicy apple and pear flavors with a dollop of vanilla dominate the nose. The palate exhibits spiced pears, lemon rind, honeysuckle, a touch of pink grapefruit, and proper oak. Deep and compelling flavors are balanced by the racy acidity. Medium to full bodied, and long in the finish. This is a very well crafted chardonnay. (3258 views)

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This wine is up there with the best of Cali chards. Peter Michael and Aubert watch out. This wine has texture and a lengthy finish of lemon and mineral. (3273 views)

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Sacred Cow is released into the wild (Restaurant X, Oklahoma, OK): WIML90

Tasted October 17, 2009 at an offline.

Light yellow to yellow color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of toasted oak, vanilla and cream. Flavors of toast, hazlenut and yellow pears. Medium acidity and body. Drink over the short term, perhaps the medium term. (3895 views)

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Last bottle must have been off. This was great bottle!!!
Lots of complexity, and minerality. (2845 views)

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Drank @ Solbar for anniversary. Felt a little fleshier, rounder than I remember (tried w/ Thomas from barrel). Lemon zest, structure + fruit, persistent finish. Will buy as many as RM will sell. Highly recommended. (4073 views)

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Dinner at Rick Moonen's RM Seafood. A dead ringer for a white Burg, this wine displays refined aromas of white corn, hazelnut, lime zest, and lemon pulp. Lean and flinty on the palate, with precise notes of ocean spray, saline, lemon pulp, kumquat, and crushed minerals. Elegant and zesty with great acidity. An excellent wine that is drinking well now but has tremendous aging potential. Easily 93-94 points. (2804 views)

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Chardonnay for those who don't like (Californian) Chardonnay. Bright citrus on nose, palate and finish, with an especially pretty hit of lemon on the aftertaste. (2849 views)

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No real notes here, but I do remember the finish was like sucking on a lemon drop (2937 views)

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Reminds me of a Peay chard, with the lime and mineral notes, but it doesn't have the excitement of a Peay chard. (2990 views)

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On the pop and pour yesterday the nose was full-blown vanilla-oak richness but the palate more Mersault-like, full bodied but snappy with white fruit, apples, and key lime cheesecake, all mineral-infused and well-balanced between the fruit and acid. Today it is even more integrated, with less distinction between the nose and palate. Nice treat to start off summer break!! (2759 views)

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Beautiful mineral, rich apple fruit and oak spice nose. Palate is full bodied with plenty of fruit and acid playing off of each other. Long finish is full of stony, fruity and toasty notes. Rich and complex - very nice. Off the list at Palate in Glendale, CA. (2890 views)

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As I rarely come across Chards, can't really tell the quality here. However, certainly not up to snuff with the Auberts... (2821 views)

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No detailed notes, had at dinner with friends. This is a head turner, very old world style great citrus notes with a mineral finish at just a hint of oak. Am really looking forward to visting this again in a few years. (3620 views)

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Given some of the recent tasting notes on this wine, I had to give it a try. Contrary to a couple of the notes, I found the oak to be fairly light on the nose, with some very floral vanilla and a citrus edge. Bit of heat on the palate at first (which seemed to right itself quickly), focused, clean, not at all over the top. Extremely well balanced, with good acidity (actually I guess it's more correctly low pH). While the bottle states 14.1% alcohol, the website claims 13.9%. At least one poster thought this came across as very "Californian" with too much oak, and that it was tiring. I found it to be the opposite -- lively, and very Burgundian in structure. It will be interesting to see how this develops. (2693 views)

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Lovely straw color. Brioche, oak, meyer lemon bean curd and maybe an apple pie out of the oven aroma but really not showing a lot of fruit on the nose yet. I think it's there...I hope it's there, but the jury is still out. The wine plays to the gallery now without any real interest beyond the vanilla, creme brulee flavor. It has plenty of acid to the point of being a bit tart so maybe it will all come together in two years in a nice harmonious package. It reminds me of the pie Mother used to make with sweetened condensed milk, fresh lemon juice, and graham cracker crust. I loved that pie but one piece was plenty. This is a flamboyant wine and I like it for what it is but refreshing it's not. It tires the palate with its Falstaffian profile. I think wine makers in California have too much money to spend on new oak. I'll keep my other bottle for a couple of years and pray over it. (2793 views)

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This was really not my style, way too much butter-popcorn for me. However many others liked this a lot... It was well balanced, so I will give it that, perhaps some time. (2750 views)

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Chardonnay and Pinot Noir with Middle Eastern Foods: Initially when popped the oak was very strong on the nose and the palate was very wrapped up. Revisiting the palate seemed to relax some though still on the tight and chunky side and the oak relaxed on the nose giving some straw notes. Balanced feel with good acids and great mineral quality. Nice concentration on the palate and the 100% new oak was barely detectable. Not your typical ripe oaky Cali Chard I'm guessing another year or two in the bottle will help this unwind a bit but very good now. (3596 views)

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Persian Food Meets Pinot and Chard (The Murray Casa): Rich and deeply flavored with oak rounding out the edges and adding a layer. Mid to heavy palate, some slate on the finish. Good. (4162 views)

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Excellent. If all chards tasted like this I'd switch from reds to whites exclusively. Okay, that's a bit extreme, but it underscores how good this is. (2419 views)

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brilliant yellow with a subtle lime hue. after only inspecting this wine in the glass one immediately knows it has something profound to say. precise nose of key lime pie, lemon oil, custard, minerals, and a small element of confectionary sweetness. this wine epitomizes the term fresh. wonderfully rich and creamy in the mouth, all the while gracefully supported by a perfectly constructed acidic backbone. lemon and limes predominate on the palate. the crisp acids firm up during the mouth watering finish where citrus and minerals lead the way. the overall harmony in this bottle is truly marvelous! this wine screams for food. sadly, however, it will be gone lone before dinner ;)

where is all the oak? if memory serves, this is 100% new oak.

this is utterly fantastic and will provide a great deal of pleasure now for those seeking a glimpse. i'm holding the rest of mine for a few more years though.

between this and the '04 rhys alpine chard i had last week, my interest in like-minded california chardonnays has sky rocketed. any and all suggestions regarding where i should look next are most certainly welcome. (2596 views)

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14.1% alc...nose of lemon curd, minerals, green apple, pear, baking spice...balanced and brisk palate entry, great acidity, loooooong finish that is less fruit and more mineral. Great stuff. (2709 views)

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