External search
Google (images)
Wine Advocate
Wine Spectator
Burghound
Wine-Searcher
Vintages
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
Show more
From this producer
Show all wines
All tasting notes
|
| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 92.6 pts. and median of 93 pts. in 75 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by buckeye76 on 10/14/2023 & rated 93 points: Similar notes as previous tastings. Deep gold color. Pears, apples, and honey citrus notes in the nose. Pears, apples and peaches in the flavor with some minerality in the flavor.. Medium to full bodied with nice acidity, well balanced and a medium to long finish. Drink now. (178 views) | | | Tasted by buckeye76 on 9/29/2023 & rated 93 points: Similar notes as previous tastings. Deep gold color. Pears, apples, and honey citrus notes in the nose. Pears, apples and peaches in the flavor with some minerality in the flavor.. Medium to full bodied with nice acidity, well balanced and a medium to long finish. (183 views) | | | Tasted by buckeye76 on 2/19/2023 & rated 93 points: Deep gold color. Pears, apples, honey and mint with citrus and floral notes in the nose. Pears, apples, peaches and citrus in the flavor with mineral notes and hints of spice.. Medium to full bodied with nice acidity, well balanced and a medium to long finish. (362 views) | | | Tasted by cweiner on 12/26/2022 & rated 92 points: The last of the allotment but still years left. (369 views) | | | Tasted by wineismylife on 7/27/2022 & rated 93 points: WIML93
Tasted non blind.
Light yellow to yellow color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of cream, yellow pears, yellow apples and spice box. Flavors of cream, lemon curd, yellow pears and red apples. Medium acidity, full bodied. Drink or hold.
Jose Rodriguez Memorial Dinner (574 views) | | | Tasted by Oskiwawa on 5/30/2022: Medium yellow color. Vanilla pastry cream on the nose. Mid ragne in terms of oak and alcohol. Really enjoyed this bottle and would recommend. Should hold up for several more years. (452 views) | | | Tasted by petitblanc on 5/21/2022: A Celebration of Jose; 5/19/2022-5/21/2022 (Madison, WI): Slightly honeyed, atypical nose. Bit of oak, building heat, and an unidentifiable off-putting note on the palate. Not scored. 14.3% abv (607 views) | | | Tasted by rama on 2/25/2021: Honey richness with brightness to counteract. Like a very delicious semi-dry mead. (776 views) | | | Tasted by cweiner on 9/13/2020 & rated 94 points: Superb Santa Cruz chardonnay. One of my go to's and never seems to disappoint. (846 views) | | | Tasted by cweiner on 8/30/2020 & rated 93 points: Beautiful Santa Cruz chardonnay. Dry with just the hint of fruit. (698 views) | | | Tasted by lvjohn on 8/24/2020 & rated 93 points: A beautifully crafted and delicious wine. Still drinking very well. Lots of citrus and tropical notes as I recall with great mouthfeel and aftertaste. (737 views) | | | Tasted by glou.sf on 7/10/2020 & rated 93 points: White flowers, a hint of honey, oranges, and some lemon notes on the nose. Well balanced with nice acidity, yet rich and elegant on the palate with lemon oil, minerals, and apples. Long finish. The nose was a bit muted, but improved with air. 93+ (811 views) | | | Tasted by Tylerk on 5/14/2020 & rated 93 points: Just love this Varner chard- think this vineyard selection is his best, great quality for price, perfect now (550 views) | | | Tasted by jbaron on 10/11/2019 & rated 91 points: I still like this wine and it’s still tasty but nondescript. (700 views) | | | Tasted by Chainthroer on 8/26/2019 & rated 93 points: Two bottles. (834 views) | | | Tasted by lvjohn on 7/14/2019 & rated 93 points: I have similar comments as those of our first bottle. This is a terrific wine. It shows lots of many good years ahead. (736 views) | | | Tasted by Chainthroer on 4/6/2019 & rated 93 points: Took to a wine get-together. (959 views) | | | Tasted by Chainthroer on 3/30/2019 & rated 93 points: No notes taken. (887 views) | | | Tasted by ZionWino on 3/15/2019 & rated 93 points: Outstanding bottle of Chardonnay; wonderfully balanced with stone and citrus fruits, moderate acidity, and velvety mouthfeel. Finishes with a cascading reverberation of all its delicious characteristics. (645 views) | | | Tasted by ogres3 on 3/13/2019 & rated 92 points: Not a chardonnay fan, but this is concocted without all the oak and butter of the typical nasty chard. Still very crisp, light, with complex but muted spring fruit. Last one, and wife almost snuck it by me without giving me a sip. (713 views) | | | Tasted by Red Sox Fan on 1/5/2019 & rated 94 points: The Varner Chardonnays from Spring Ridge Vineyard have been favorites of mine for several years, and the 2013 Bee Block is no exception. Wonderful fruit (melon, peach, hint of lime), rich texture, without being heavy or oaky. I’ve come to prefer these wines over more highly-priced Chardonnays like Aubert and Peter Michael which I find too rich and heavy. I’m sorry to hear that the Varners will no longer be making wine from this vineyard, but Ilook forward to trying their Santa Barbara wines. (600 views) | | | Tasted by lvjohn on 12/27/2018 & rated 93 points: Outstanding purity of flavors with great mouthfeel. Seemed like a Meursault rather than a California Chardonnay. Still tasting very fresh with years of good drinking ahead. (542 views) | | | Tasted by Chainthroer on 11/22/2018 & rated 93 points: Consumed a a friend's Thanksgiving get together. No notes. (752 views) | | | Tasted by Chainthroer on 11/4/2018 & rated 93 points: Lunch at a friend's home. Took this wine , but, again, no notes taken. (708 views) | | | Tasted by bubbachumps on 9/21/2018 & rated 94 points: Notes of crisp honey, citrus and faint flowers n the nose. IN the mouth precise and well-balanced. I do not get any of the oak other CT noes reference. This almost tastes a high-quality sauvignon blanc. This was served blind and the group couldn't pin this chardonnay down. Delicious! (888 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Antonio Galloni
Vinous, Santa Cruz Mountains: Scaling the Heights (Jul 2015) (7/1/2015)
(Varner Chardonnay Bee Block Central Coast) Subscribe to see review text. |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Vinous. (manage subscription channels) |
| Varner Producer websiteChardonnay 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. |
|
