Community Tasting Note

RhoneWho wrote:

Wednesday, December 20, 2023 - Have been holding off drinking CIX as compared to Eastside, UV-SL, Ritchie, Lauren, etc due to its structure. We had drank 2016 Eastside and UV-SL lately and felt they are reaching toward their primary phase peak. Thus, drank this 2016 CIX (supposedly from DRC or Grand Cru clones) side by side with 2016 Wayfarer Estate chardonnay, 2015 Aubert Eastside (which has also not reached its primary phase peak) and 2014 Morlet La Proportion Doree (RP100 California version of Haut-Brion blanc). This 2016 CIX has more structure and higher concentration than the others. If I were blind-folded, i would have guessed a young 2-3 years old wines from 2018 or 2019 vintage.

Like his other chardonnay, the sexy uplifting bouquet has (cologne-like) perfume of rich ripe white summer Californian fruits enhanced with well-integrated new Burgundian oak and some chamomile and eucalyptus notes. CIX exhibits more Burgundian Grand Cru characters with brioche texture infused with lemon citrusy oil with incredible back-bone that i can see it can age and stay in primary phase for another 5-10 years easily.

The flavor profile is dominated by dry tangerine rind (like those expensive well-aged tangerine skin used by HK/Cantonese chefs) with hints of lime skin shaves (probably from its acidity) dominating over fruit flavor at this stage. This concentration needs a few more years to unpack to reveal its layers of fruit flavor profile.

The tannin is incredibly ultra-fine. The great acidity has kept the rich fruit flavor in check rendering it atypical Sonoma Coast chardonnay (ahem shall we say Burgundy). The texture has great viscosity and weightless gliding past the palate seamlessly but with great lengths of lingering notes of honey, ginger/lemongrass and citrus in the back palate.

Unlike other single vineyards (Eastside, UV-SL, Lauren) rated in the range of 98-100, CIX will get into that range with a few more years of bottle aging. I should have tasted 2014 CIX but it's so well tucked away that I couldn't find it inside the cellar. Stay tuned for 2014 CIX report out.

Rating 96-99; 96++

Post a Comment / View RhoneWho's profile
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue (1,413 views)