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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 93.8 pts. and median of 94 pts. in 57 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by Tylerk on 2/1/2021 & rated 93 points: Really in an ice spot- Burgundian style with richness and buttery flavors- perfect for an heirloom roast chicken! (2372 views) | | | Tasted by Markie_Sharkie on 9/12/2020 & rated 93 points: Rich, smooth and lemon buttery with long finish. Mellowed out a bit after two hour open. Not everyone will love this, but this wine was great with risotto and grilled scallops. (2276 views) | | | Tasted by aerosol on 10/24/2019 & rated 94 points: I am in love with the nose on this wine and the con census is a toasted oat cereal with cooked pears. The mouth is crisp and acidic with a lovely agreeable bitterness that counters the sweetness. There’s some vanilla caramel on the palate along with slightly bitter background but an extremely enjoyable wine and perhaps one of the best Chardonnay I have had in a long time. Still a youngster that’s drinks like an older Chardonnay and the caramel characteristics of an older chardonnay are just starting to develop. If you like Chardonnay with elements of young with some age, then this is in the sweetspot (3249 views) | | | Tasted by GQG on 10/1/2019 & rated 94 points: A cornucopia of buttery, nutty flavors flow across the palate. There's a notable viscosity and a creamy mouthfeel to this wine. (3281 views) | | | Tasted by cnichelson on 9/26/2019 & rated 93 points: Big and round and rich, but with great acidity on the finish—unusual for a Napa Chardonnay. I think this could last another 6-8 years without any trouble. Had next to a Martinelli from the Russian river valley (same vintage) which was more subtle and a little more refined but somehow seemed pretty well advanced. Great with charred octopus and shrimp and yellow fin and Mexico. (3092 views) | | | Tasted by jvphoto on 9/14/2019 & rated 89 points: Something for a fraction of the price you could accomplish by shoving a handful of pear & butter popcorn jellybeans + a squeeze of lemon in your mouth.
Update: After two hours it got a little white flower + vanilla.
Throat burning alchohol (bottle says 14.8%) that masks any finish. (1839 views) | | | Tasted by ManhattanBeach on 7/2/2019: A private dinner, 'bring your own' (28-50 Marylebone, London): Very big, rich, baked apple and cream, pastry crust. Good energy, no flab despite the richness. All really enjoyed. (2020 views) | | | Tasted by bugdoced on 5/21/2019 & rated 93 points: rich integrated delicious (1412 views) | | | Tasted by mreinhard74@gmail.com on 5/12/2019 & rated 90 points: Big honking California chard. Oak and buttery. I don’t mind it some will hate it. Some will love it. Peach and honeysuckle but still with some decent acid. (1247 views) | | | Tasted by jlgnml on 4/25/2019 & rated 94 points: Upon opening, everybody declared the smell and initial taste as fantastic. It's a buy. (1346 views) | | | Tasted by Zinlady on 3/24/2019 & rated 93 points: Loved it. Had with cheese, pear and nuts. Good depth. Long finish. Balanced. (1408 views) | | | Tasted by cweiner on 3/17/2019 & rated 94 points: Truly at its peak, To my taste, a classic Napa chardonnay. (1250 views) | | | Tasted by Pquaker on 2/12/2019 & rated 93 points: Aromatic, buttery, not very acidic. Good with chicken or seafood (1350 views) | | | Tasted by GiWineDoc on 12/28/2018 & rated 94 points: Big rich buttery chard with good acidity and lovely mouthfeel (1504 views) | | | Tasted by mreinhard74@gmail.com on 12/7/2018 & rated 90 points: Better than the 2014 by a hair. Very much a “big California chard” with a decent amount of oak. Good acid cuts down on the “creaminess”. At 14.8% abv it’s a bruiser. (1393 views) | | | Tasted by FramilyWinos on 12/7/2018: R (1510 views) | | | Tasted by SMZ on 12/3/2018 & rated 95 points: Really impressive....so clean and flavorful...one of the more amazing ChRdonnays I’ve had. (1573 views) | | | Tasted by tantotinto on 11/20/2018 & rated 94 points: Great wine and my last note is still applicable. We tried it in Zalto Burgundy glasses tonight and both thought it was an upgrade. The glasses allowed this luscious wine to more fully express itself. (1357 views) | | | Tasted by cweiner on 10/18/2018 & rated 95 points: Hits on all cylinders. Drinking beautifully. (1654 views) | | | Tasted by msuwine on 9/20/2018 & rated 94 points: My first reaction (after opening it): Holy butterball, Batman!
My second reaction (after 20 minutes): Maybe there's something more here - or maybe not. On the plus side, this defines "full-throttle": ripe, oaky, viscous, buttery, nutty - a whole lot of flavor, oak, and California sunshine. On the down side, the wine doesn't seem able to locate the brakes: there's a lack of tension, acidity, and precision found in the best of these kinds of Chardonnays (e.g., Aubert).
My final reaction (after an hour): This is a really fun, a little reckless, Chardonnay that is priced fairly and goes down very, very easy. I wouldn't call it classy, but I would call it enjoyable. This needs at least an hour of air, though, to show the refinement underneath the oak and fruit.
Light gold in color and full in body, the wine offers preposterous aromas of lemon meringue pie, fresh french toast, and toasted almonds. Tastes of apple pie, buttered popcorn, caramel, and vanilla bean, with a sweet and creamy finish that has just enough acidity to get off the ground. 14.8% alcohol. If this sounds like a dessert, you're paying attention - but, to me, it has just enough restraint to make it work. It's like that movie "Man on the Wire" - the guy is completely nuts, but he has just enough skill and balance to walk the line.
For whatever it's worth, I believe a golden mean is possible in modern domestic Chardonnay - to borrow from Aristotle, a desirable middle somewhere between excess and deficiency. To my palate, some wineries cross it (e.g., Bevan); some flop around on both sides (e.g., Martinelli); and some have mastered the dance (e.g., Peter Michael). I'm not sure if this falls in the second or third category, but it's good - quite good - and I look forward to trying another bottle in a year or so. 94+. (3682 views) | | | Tasted by GQG on 9/5/2018 & rated 95 points: Powerful and viscous mango, pear, lemongrass, and white stone fruit flavors with lesser pure lemon elements. A textural mouthfeel with layers of Creme brulée, olive oil, white pepper, and mineral elements added interest. Served at 55°F after 30 minutes in the opened bottle. A Chardonnay that big red Napa Cab lovers can enjoy without reservation. (1994 views) | | | Tasted by tantotinto on 8/27/2018 & rated 94 points: Best Cali Chardonnay that I have taste in several years. Vanilla, creme brûlée, melon and pear with tart acidity on the finish. Hefty weight and creamy texture. Outstanding. (1660 views) | | | Tasted by danielbleier on 8/17/2018 & rated 93 points: Big, beautiful in the prototypical California chardonnay - rich, buttery pineapple and mango. (1840 views) | | | Tasted by shaferguy91 on 8/14/2018 & rated 94 points: Loved it ! (1725 views) | | | Tasted by JAKE1 on 6/2/2018 & rated 94 points: had honeydew and fig and moderate chew and good acid and well balanced and smooth, good structure and sophistication (2242 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Antonio Galloni
Vinous, Napa Valley Trilogy: 2014, 2015 & 2016 (Dec 2016) (12/1/2016)
(Pahlmeyer Chardonnay (napa Valley) Napa Valley) Subscribe to see review text. |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Vinous. (manage subscription channels) |
| Pahlmeyer Producer website
Jayson Pahlmeyer, recently joined by his daughter Cleo Pahlmeyer, have been producing highly sought-after, seductive, hedonistic wines since 1986. Pahlmeyer's flagship wine is the Proprietary Red, a Napa Valley Bordeaux blend. Chardonnay, Merlot and Pinot Noir round out this stunning portfolio. These wines are produced from exceptional mountain vineyards in the Napa Valley and Sonoma Coast, including the Pahlmeyer family’s Waters Ranch (Atlas Peak AVA) and Wayfarer Farm (Fort Ross/Seaview AVA). These vineyards, coupled with winemakers Kale Anderson and Bibiana Gonzalez Rave's passion and talent, turn out wines with power and finesse.2015 Pahlmeyer Chardonnay Napa ValleyHARVESTED August 27 - September 18, 2015
VINEYARDS Pahlmeyer Estate, Atlas Peak
BOTTLED August 16, 2016
COMPOSITION 100% Chardonnay
ALCOHOL 14.8%
WINEMAKER Kale Anderson
VINTAGE NOTES
The 2015 vintage reflects our tireless dedication to create stunning wines amidst a challenging growing season. An unusually warm spring led to early budbreak and rapid vine growth, but upon bloom, the weather turned cool and foggy which slowed development and forced a small fruit set. Summer arrived with considerable heat, propelling the grapes into early and intense flavor concentration. Ripening was then slowed by spells of unusually low temperatures. These fits and starts demanded constant readiness and precision in all our farming practices. Our team patiently and carefully walked row by row, watching for peak ripeness in each block. In the winery, we rigorously selected only the finest barrels of Chardonnay, resulting in a wine that shines with intensity, complexity and bright acidity.
WINEMAKING NOTES
Our Chardonnay was picked during the cool of the night and each cluster was inspected and hand sorted at the winery before being gravity fed into the bladder press. The juice settled in stainless steel tanks for 24 hours at 50 degrees. After rigorous inspection, we racked the finest lots to new French oak barrels and monitored fermentation daily, stirring the lees only as needed to stimulate the process. After malolactic fermentation, we commingled lots for the first time then barreled down the blend into 95% new François Frères French oak — primarily Vosges VTG — for 11 months. The wine was bottled without fining or filtration.Chardonnay The Chardonnay GrapeUSAAmerican 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 Napa Valley Napa Valley Wineries and Wine (Napa Valley Vintners)Napa ValleySt. Helena |
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