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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 92.3 pts. and median of 93 pts. in 60 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by buckeye76 on 12/29/2023 & rated 92 points: Similar notes as previous tasting. Yellow-gold color. Peaches, apples, tropical fruits and a hint of minerality in the nose. Citrus in the flavor. Nice structure and acidity. Well balanced, medium to full bodied, and a medium to long finish. 92 (180 views) | | | Tasted by buckeye76 on 8/9/2023 & rated 92 points: Yellow color. Peaches, apples, tropical fruits and a hint of minerality in the nose. Citrus in the flavor. Nice structure and acidity. A well balanced wine, full bodied, and a medium to long finish. 92-93 (248 views) | | | Tasted by rsbeck on 4/6/2022 & rated 94 points: Popped, poured, consumed over next two hours. This has developed spectacularly well. Everything is finely knit and harmonious. Still retains the refreshing acidity of youth, but also shows the complicating notes that come with bottle age. Lovely. (1062 views) | | | Tasted by JohnMcIlwain on 1/26/2022: A bit of oak on nose upon opening ahead of dinner, this blew off. Pretty aromas of lemon curd, russet apple, honeycomb, and seashell. Midweight palate, ripe, but not blowsy, oak deftly knit, good freshness and acidity, nice bit of phenolic bitterness on the long finish. Mature and truly delicious. Plenty left in the tank. Fine bottle. Like this a lot. (1232 views) | | | Tasted by bonedoc on 4/15/2020 & rated 91 points: solid, Burgundian, age-able price performer. (1766 views) | | | Tasted by bonedoc on 8/28/2019: Great value for ageable Burgundian style Chardonnay (1776 views) | | | Tasted by Mattshank on 4/14/2019 & rated 92 points: Nose: Somewhat muted aromas of faint lemon. Palate: Quite mature with all acidity integrated with the fruit yet the latter is still present. Soft lemon qualities and still the subtle petrol like minerality of the previous bottles (last notes on 3/27/17). Drinking very well this wine is now at it's apex (or slightly past peak depending on one's definition). Drink up now if you have any. Still 92+ points. (1991 views) | | | Tasted by AllRed on 8/26/2017 & rated 94 points: Cellar diminishment party - brief note. Courtesy of tlv. Were it not for the Ridge Monte Bello, this would have been the Chardonnay of the night. Wonderful rich fruit with a lengthy finish. (2388 views) | | | Tasted by whitmanlholt on 4/29/2017 & rated 90 points: Popped and poured. This is a light gold wine with a nose of honeycomb and spring flowers. In the mouth, this has good acid and structure, all leaving a finish marked by a bit of wax or lanolin. Overall, this is a focused and very reasonable Chard (avoiding all of the things that too often get the varietal off track). It's a refreshing wine that exceeds the price tag. 90 points. (2686 views) | | | Tasted by Mattshank on 3/27/2017 & rated 92 points: Last notes on 4/15/15. Still the same petrol like qualities on the nose. With 2 years sideways the acids have folded in nicely but are still present. Good balance of minerality, pineapple, and lengthy finish. 92+ points. (2446 views) | | | Tasted by aaronfeigin on 3/19/2017: Lots of honeysuckle with tropical fruits like mango and pineapple. Very nice minerality and superb balance. Very enjoyable. I think this Chardonnay that straddles the line between old world and new world style should last several more years. (2502 views) | | | Tasted by Chainthroer on 11/1/2016 & rated 93 points: See my notes of 9-10-15. Good stuff. (2471 views) | | | Tasted by lvjohn on 8/9/2016 & rated 93 points: Distinctive, subtle, suave. Much more Burgundian than California at this stage. Very pleasing and very gone from our cellar. (1979 views) | | | Tasted by walkerjfw on 6/10/2016 & rated 92 points: At home, with cheeses pre dinner Val/Suzy/Kathy
Consistent with prior notes:"Medium gold color. Nose of citrus, candied pineapple, smoke and some earth notes. Palate was citrus, lemon zest, pear, fig, toasted oak. Nice mouthfeel - medium finish.."
A bit leaner than I remember the last bottle but still nice weight in a more restrained CA style (1945 views) | | | Tasted by walkerjfw on 4/9/2016 & rated 93 points: At home pre dinner, pulled this one for Val as our other guests were non Chardonnay drinkers
Medium gold color. Nose of citrus, candied pineapple, smoke and some earth notes. Palate was citrus, lemon zest, pear, fig, toasted oak. Nice mouthfeel - medium finish..
Very nicely made Chardonnay - complex and in a good spot now. should hold at this level, would drink over next 3 years. (1948 views) | | | Tasted by Red Sox Fan on 3/26/2016 & rated 93 points: About 12 months ago this was too light and acidic for my taste. Enjoyed this bottle much more--it had more weight and less acidity. Especially appreciated that this wine, like Varner wines generally, was less sweet than many CA Chardonnays. A little disjointed on opening, but really came together after 30 minutes. (1901 views) | | | Tasted by Chainthroer on 2/20/2016 & rated 93 points: Took to a wine tasting get-together. See my notes of 9/10/2015. (1866 views) | | | Tasted by Chainthroer on 2/18/2016 & rated 93 points: I must like this wine - comsumed two in last week. (1685 views) | | | Tasted by lvjohn on 2/6/2016 & rated 91 points: Very nice. A bit on the subtle, diminutive side for a California chard. (1471 views) | | | Tasted by lvjohn on 1/23/2016 & rated 89 points: Might just be a bad bottle, but the excitement of the previous bottles seems missing. This is still very good wine, but it's just not as full and present in the mouth. It seems more like an entry level white Burgundy. (1381 views) | | | Tasted by Chainthroer on 11/26/2015 & rated 93 points: Took to friends house to celebrate Thanksgiving. Ditto my comments of 9/10/2015. (1590 views) | | | Tasted by lvjohn on 11/8/2015 & rated 93 points: Very nice wine with excellent varietal character. Very pure with a bit of oakiness. Overall, this is a winner! (1506 views) | | | Tasted by Chainthroer on 10/4/2015 & rated 93 points: Not even a month since I last tasted the wine. I guess I did not comply with my last comment about the wine probably needing some more time to be fully appreciated. The wine has not changed: see comment made 9/10/2015. (1685 views) | | | Tasted by Chainthroer on 9/10/2015 & rated 93 points: I get apple, pear, lemon, obvious minerals, and serene, but noticeable, toasty French oak. Burgundian-like on the nose and in the mouth. Great structure and good balance. A pretty good wine now, but probably needs a little more time to be fully appreciated.
Je reçois pomme, de poire, de citron, de minéraux évidentes, et serein, mais perceptible, grillé de chêne français. Bourguignon comme sur le nez et dans la bouche. Grande structure et un bon équilibre. Une jolie bon vin maintenant, mais probablement besoin d'un peu plus de temps pour être pleinement apprécié. (1695 views) | | | Tasted by quaffnov on 6/20/2015 & rated 90 points: The nose is quite luscious with earth tones, pineapple and lychee. The palate is interesting, with a very bright tannic backbone that carries pineapple, lychee, minerals and a slight touch of citrus. Let this warm in the glass a little and the aromas become much more clear and the mouthfeel thickens and becomes more complex. (1899 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By William Kelley
Decanter, WK Tasting notes (6/30/2016)
(Varner, Spring Ridge Vineyard Bee Block Chardonnay, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains, California, USA, White) Subscribe to see review text. | By Antonio Galloni
Vinous, Santa Cruz Mountains: California’s Best Kept Secret (Jul 2013)
(Varner Chardonnay Bee Block Santa Cruz Mountains) Subscribe to see review text. | By Richard Jennings
RJonWine.com (3/30/2012)
(Varner Chardonnay Spring Ridge Vineyard Bee Block) Barrel sample - light yellow color; focused, tart apple, earthy, malolactic fermentation nose; lean, tart lemon, very mineral, lime palate with medium acidity; medium-plus finish 92-93+ points (13.1% alcohol) 92 points |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Decanter and Vinous and RJonWine.com. (manage subscription channels) |
| Varner Producer website2011 Varner Chardonnay Spring Ridge Vineyard Bee BlockOrganic: Practicing
Vineyard: Spring Ridge Vineyard-Bee Block
Orientation: Northeast-facing slope
Soil: Porous sedimentary rock
Viticulture: Head-trained, cane pruned, no pesticides, herbicides, insecticides
Vinification: Barrel-fermented, gravity racked, 100% malolactic
Aging: 8 months in 28% new French Oak
Production: 596 cases
Notes: The vines at Bee Block were planted in 1987. This wine is always the most California of the Varner Chardonnays. However, in the last 5 years the minerality of the wines from the Bee Block has become more noticeable as the vines reach further.Chardonnay The Chardonnay GrapeSpring Ridge Vineyard Bee Block On weinlagen-infoUSAAmerican wine has been produced since the 1500s, with the first widespread production beginning in New Mexico in 1628. Today, wine production is undertaken in all fifty states, with California producing 84% of all U.S. wine. The continent of North America is home to several native species of grape, including Vitis labrusca, Vitis riparia, Vitis rotundifolia, and Vitis vulpina, but the wine-making industry is based almost entirely on the cultivation of the European Vitis vinifera, which was introduced by European settlers. With more than 1,100,000 acres (4,500 km2) under vine, the United States is the fourth-largest wine producing country in the world, after Italy, Spain, and France.California2021 vintage: "Unlike almost all other areas of the state, the Russian River Valley had higher than normal crops in 2021, which has made for a wine of greater generosity and fruit forwardness than some of its stablemates." - Morgan Twain-Peterson Santa Cruz Mountains Santa Cruz Mountains Winegrowers Association | Wikipedia
Once referred to by wine writers as the Chaine d'Or -- or "golden chain" -- the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA sits above Silicon Valley, running along the craggy range next to the Pacific on some of the prettiest parts of Northern California. The area supports more than 75 wineries, despite being limited by geography and high land prices.
In 1981 the Santa Cruz Mountains Viticultural Appellation became federally recognized, one of the first American viticultural areas to be defined by geophysical and climatic factors. The appellation encompasses the Santa Cruz Mountain range, from Half Moon Bay in the north, to Mount Madonna in the south. The east and west boundaries are defined by elevation, extending down to 800 feet in the east and 400 feet in the west. |
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