| Wine Type | Vintage Name Variety Locale | Date Posted Score Helpful Comments More... |
|---|---|---|
| White |
2014 Varner Chardonnay Spring Ridge Vineyard Bee BlockSanta Cruz Mountains more |
4/21/2024 - chablis28 wrote: 91 pointsMy local "big group" Sunday dinner. Theme was"CA wines not from Napa". And, we got a fun range to share at BLVD Kitchen. Interesting how palates differ. At least 2 guys from our table oohed & awed over this Sunday. While I enjoyed it more than the 2 Kistler Chards it paled in comparison to Mike Z's '14 Hanzell Chardonnay, for me. For me this was prototypical Ca Chardonnay. Well-made but a bit weighty like most Ca Chards for my palate. Its toastiness was bit more than I care for too. |
| White |
2014 Varner Chardonnay Spring Ridge Vineyard Bee BlockSanta Cruz Mountains more |
4/21/2024 - rocknroller wrote: 94 pointsMonthly Tasting Group: California: Anything but Napa (BLVD Kitchen & Bar, Wayzata, MN): Light gold color. Drank a glass over an hour plus. This was in great form tonight. It was the class of all the chards. Steely, crisp, great stony minerality, fresh cut pear, medium body, bright, Meyer lemon, long and vibrant. Loved it. |
| Red |
2014 Varner Pinot Noir Spring Ridge Vineyard Upper Picnic BlockSanta Cruz Mountains more |
4/12/2024 - Tylerk wrote: 91 pointsDrink up- this is perhaps a bit long in the tooth now- I saw the window said till 2026- I think that’s a stretch and I’d personally finish in ‘24 |
| White |
2012 Varner Chardonnay Spring Ridge Vineyard Home BlockSanta Cruz Mountains more |
3/6/2024 - thelostverse wrote: 92 pointsPop and pour. Difficult to score this as it was delicious, but not varietally correct. The color has morphed to show its age - more of a caramel rather than golden or even greenish. Nose and palate of butterscotch and brown sugar. If tasting this blind I may have gone with an older Sauterne. Bottom line - it was a lovely bottle, but it was more of a dessert wine than a Chardonnay. Wouldn't have wanted to pair this with lobster... Drink up. |
| White |
2014 Varner Chardonnay Spring Ridge Vineyard Amphitheater BlockSanta Cruz Mountains more |
3/3/2024 - ptwu Likes this wine: 94 pointsFantastic. Too bad they lost their lease. |
| White |
2014 Varner Chardonnay Spring Ridge Vineyard Bee BlockSanta Cruz Mountains more |
2/25/2024 - JohnMcIlwain Likes this wine: NRPale golden robe, more stone fruit that citrus inflected on nose. A touch of honeysuckle and yellow flowers as well. Yellow fruited and supple on the palate. Ripe, certainly. With good acid and a bit of phenolic bitterness on the finish. Call it zaftig rather than flabby. I’d drink up at this stage. Very good with crab (and shrimp) Louis, but has the stuffing for richer dishes. Quite good and just shy of very good. I love Varner from this era; the 2014 is satisfying, but cut from sturdier cloth in the vintage. |
| Red |
2016 Varner Pinot Noir Los Alamos VineyardSanta Barbara County more |
1/21/2024 - Big Juicy Red Likes this wine: 89 pointsI largely agree with @Vinnut, although I don’t get all the complexity they do. It’s got great nose and flavors, with very good concentration. I get a bit more of the juicy / candied fruit notes and less of the sous bois, but that’s splitting hairs. What I don’t get, unfortunately, is complexity. Still, a single vineyard pinot, moderate alcohol (13.6 ABV) with some age for around $25 is a steal these days. It’s a great wine for when you want something decent but don’t want to break the bank, or bring something you’ll enjoy to a party. |
| White |
2014 Varner Chardonnay Spring Ridge Vineyard Bee BlockSanta Cruz Mountains more |
1/10/2024 - Seafoam Manor wrote: NRPretty deep golden color. The nose and palate are pretty much in line with an odd mix of pineapple, bruised apple, a general citrus-y thing, pretty pronounced mineral-y / (maybe) almond skin character and lingering sweet baking spices. While that might not sound too odd, the pineapple is really dominant on the front end and then it finishes with a bitter stony character, which is a bit jarring. It's a reasonably bit wine, but the alcohol is in check and there's acidity to handle the body. |
| Red |
2013 Varner Pinot Noir Spring Ridge Vineyard Hidden BlockSanta Cruz Mountains more |
1/5/2024 - Vino Me wrote: 93 pointsI purchased this on sale about 5 years ago for $25. Sourced from 16 year old Dijon Clone 115 vines. 531 cases made. Not decanted. Rusty red color. Soft and very approachable. Light to medium bodied. Notes of sweet cranberries, cherry cough syrup and a fine minerality. Integrated tannins. I found this very enjoyable to drink. 93 points. |
| White |
2011 Varner Chardonnay Spring Ridge Vineyard Bee BlockSanta Cruz Mountains more |
12/29/2023 - buckeye76 Likes this wine: 92 pointsSimilar 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 |
| White |
2009 Varner Chardonnay Spring Ridge Vineyard Bee BlockSanta Cruz Mountains more |
12/20/2023 - oldcorke wrote: NRFlawed bottle- prematurely aged. No rating. |
| White |
2013 Varner Chardonnay Spring Ridge Vineyard Amphitheater BlockSanta Cruz Mountains more |
11/23/2023 - buckeye76 Likes this wine: 91 pointsSimilar notes as our previous tastings. Apricots and citrus with floral and nutty notes in the nose. Citrus fruit and apples in the flavor. Nice balance and acidity, medium bodied, and a medium length finish. |
| Red |
2013 Varner Pinot Noir Spring Ridge Vineyard Hidden BlockSanta Cruz Mountains more |
10/31/2023 - JohnMcIlwain Likes this wine: NRRobe is a dark ruby with some bricking on the rim. Nose offers aromas of dark fruits, bruised black cherry, wild raspberry, some spice (not quite cola here) and some bosky notes and a bit of brûléed oak. The palate is a touch richer than I associate with Varner and Spring Ridge Vineyard. Nice dark cherry and plum skin flavors underlain by notes of baking spices and a whiff of mint. Some earth notes linger on the periphery. Tannins are mostly resolved and there’s fine—if not exceptional—acidity lending freshness. This comes off as a touch less lifted and maybe a bit more foursquare than other vintages but it’s certainly tasty with pappardelle with a sausage ragu and braised escarole. Re-buy? Maybe not this vintage. Good but not quite the spark I’d hoped for. |
| White |
2013 Varner Chardonnay Spring Ridge Vineyard Amphitheater BlockSanta Cruz Mountains more |
10/29/2023 - buckeye76 Likes this wine: 91 pointsSimilar notes as our previous tasting. Apricots, citrus, nuts and spice with floral hints in the nose, Citrus fruit and apples in the flavor. Nice acidity, medium bodied, and a medium to long finish. |
| Red |
2013 Varner Pinot Noir Spring Ridge Vineyard Upper Picnic BlockSanta Cruz Mountains more |
10/28/2023 - wiscgrad wrote: 89 pointsnot quite as impressed as other CT notes. aromatics were a bit subdued. fruit was there but a bit muddled. good acid on the finish. |
| Red |
2014 Varner Pinot Noir Spring Ridge Vineyard Upper Picnic BlockSanta Cruz Mountains more |
10/21/2023 - rosenst1 wrote: flawedUnfortunately similar to last bottle - flawed, lacking fruit acidic tannins, weird nose. |
| White |
2013 Varner Chardonnay Spring Ridge Vineyard Bee BlockSanta Cruz Mountains more |
10/14/2023 - buckeye76 Likes this wine: 93 pointsSimilar 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. |
| Red |
2014 Varner Pinot Noir Spring Ridge Vineyard Hidden BlockSanta Cruz Mountains more |
10/11/2023 - GGinSF wrote: 88 pointsSignificantly improved over 3/2020 experience. Smooth and balanced, with good body. |
| White |
2013 Varner Chardonnay Spring Ridge Vineyard Bee BlockSanta Cruz Mountains more |
9/29/2023 - buckeye76 Likes this wine: 93 pointsSimilar 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. |
| White |
2014 Varner Chardonnay Spring Ridge Vineyard Amphitheater BlockSanta Cruz Mountains more |
9/5/2023 - redz wrote: 92 pointsDrinking well, has more time. |
| White |
2013 Varner Chardonnay Spring Ridge Vineyard Amphitheater BlockSanta Cruz Mountains more |
9/1/2023 - JohnMcIlwain Likes this wine: NRLovely bottle. Wonderful California Chardonnay that has energy to spare and a fine equipoise between fruit and structure with judicious oak. Wonderful with poached halibut. Wish I had more. |
| Red |
2016 Varner Pinot Noir Los Alamos VineyardSanta Barbara County more |
8/18/2023 - Vinnut Likes this wine: 92 pointsMedium-deep garnet in color. Full, forward & attractive nose redolent of ripe fruit aromas of cherries, blueberries & strawberries with lovely spice & floral notes, cocoa, some hints of sous-bois, earthy/dusty, minerals and a hint of oak/vanilla. Medium bodied with a very good concentration of balanced, smooth textured & elegant, ripe fruit flavors of sweet cherries, blueberries & blackberries with spices, cocoa, minerals, herbs & a hint of oak/vanilla. Lingering smooth finish. Drinks quite well at present but even at 7 years of age, it has the structure to continue development with several more years of additional aging. A wonderful Pinot with some age on it & with a very good QPR. |
| Red |
2014 Varner Pinot Noir Spring Ridge Vineyard Upper Picnic BlockSanta Cruz Mountains more |
8/12/2023 - Vinomazing Likes this wine: NRFrighen delicious! |
| White |
2011 Varner Chardonnay Spring Ridge Vineyard Bee BlockSanta Cruz Mountains more |
8/9/2023 - buckeye76 Likes this wine: 92 pointsYellow 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 |
| White |
2009 Varner Chardonnay Spring Ridge Vineyard Bee BlockSanta Cruz Mountains more |
7/7/2023 - Ben Christiansen wrote: NRNutty and really darn delicious. Perfectly aged and really wonderful. |
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- Tasting notes: 1,308 notes on 70 wines
