Cork had seeped all the way through. But the wine was fine. Thank goodness for wax seals. This wine has matured significantly and has a very silly mouthfeel, palate with everything from honeysuckle to banana to yellow peach to melon to butterscotch and finishes with a lot of herbal density. Still has a crispness to it but I definitely feel that this is because of its age not youthful character (obviously). Drink now. Have another one I was going to try to hold for another year but the leaky cork makes me nervous for sure, so it's probably getting the wine knife soon!
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Poured a slight hazy amber to the glass. This bottle's wax capsule was chipped and the cork seemed to show a bit of seepage right at the chip, so take that for what it is worth. Plus the cork was pretty much soaked. The wine had a nose of beeswax, honey amber, mature yellow fruit. Poured a dark straw color to the glass. Palate was honeyed melon, mature white peach, white wildflowers. Rotund mouthfeel, a hint of limestone. Finished with mellow white pepper. The finish wasn't really as brooding as I thought it would have been therefore I am not sure if the slight seepage and cork comprise really had anything to do with this.
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Deep gold color, still floral on the nose, with dried fruit, maybe pear, or dried pineapple? A slight petrol note, maybe a little oxidation, but in a pleasant way. Maybe slightly herbal and savory smelling as well. In the mouth it’s waxy and rich, with some minerality and acid. The flavors are tropical with a slight smokiness. Very enjoyable and has held on well!
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I SO hate the ridiculous plastic "wax" seal. A time-consuming and strenuous hassle to penetrate; I feel like I'm dulling my foil cutter on this synthetic crap, which goes where when we're done with it? Other than that, good from the gate. Energetic, rich without being heavy; lively flavor on the palate, but it is such a direct, if high-toned, expression of the Chardonnay grape in California terroir that it is no more or less than that. Which is more than plenty good. Packaging 49, this bottle 92. Drink now.
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Pop and poured. Drank over 1 hour. At B&B PP, on a day when New World tastes like Old World, and Old World tastes like New World. Thick wax seal, but an agglomerate cork?! Appearance is clear, medium intensity, gold colour. Legs. Nose is clean, medium+ intensity, with aromas of florals, saline and stony minerality (as a friend described: "a flowing river of minerals"), citrus lemon, and slight butter. Developed. On the palate, dry, high acidity, medium+ alcohol (14.2%), medium+ body. Pronounced flavour intensity, with flavours of rich citrus lemon, white peaches, nectarines, sweet floral spice, slight thick waxy butter oil towards the finish. Long minerally finish. Very very good quality. Drinking at peak already. No need to age this further. Drink up and enjoy. Definitely Burgandian style, with just a bit of an intensity ramp up. I need to find more of this Brewer-Clifton stuff.
Dinner at La Belle Vie (La Belle Vie, Mpls): Light gold color. PNP, drank 2 glasses over an hour plus. This was my last bottle and showing as well as it did 3 years ago. Very floral, earthy, a touch of mushroom, lemon, pineapple, nectarine. The palate has nice acid, medium plus body, sleek and long, nectarine, earth, lemon, pineapple, very subtle oak. Medium plus finish. 92+ to 93pts.
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Central Coast Trip; 3/30/2014-4/1/2014: Tasted in the Brewer-Clifton tasting room. We tasted a 2009-11 vertical of Sweeney, with the 2009 the most developed and ready to drink, while being similar to the 2010 in style. Aromas and flavors of stone fruit, mushroom, and white flower. Aged 18 months in neutral oak, leaving a crisp acidity. This sports a longer finish, but was relatively simple. Quite nice.
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Tasted at Brewer-Clifton. Pale golden color. Nose of stonefruit, tropical fruits (pineapple) and some waxy element. On the palate there are notes of tropical fruit again, passion fruit and again some buttery/waxy flavors that were a little off-putting at first (a lot of people might like them though). Medium+ body and medium acidity. Good length. A nice and interesting Chardonnay, but today the real star of this mini-vertical tasting was the 2011 in my opinion.
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Souper à la Chronique: Nez iodé, avec des pêches, un peu de crème. La bouche montre une bonne acidité et une certaine pureté qui pourraient nous amener en France, mais il a aussi une richesse de fruit typée de son origine. Très bien mais trop cher (72$). 90 pts
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Beautiful golden yellow in color with great viscosity and legs in the glass. Bright citrus cream flavors and aromas with some underlying salinity. Wonderful mouthfeel and lasting finish. Just the right level of acidity to carry this to conclusion.
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Nice dept of flavors. High acidity. Floral, pineapple, stone fruits, mineral flavors. The pineapple/tropical fruit and acidity were dominate, almost shadowing other elements. Still rated in the 90's because of the depth of flavors and balance.
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Tasting Dinner (Bachelor Farmer, Mpls): Medium yellow color. Pop and pour, drank 2 glasses over 1 hour plus. Nose is exuberent, citrus, a bit of burnt rubber, striking minerals, apple, a little toasted oak, and a bit musty. The palate is full bodied, great minerality, nice fruit with citrus, apple, nice acids. Long finish.
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(at Quince – SF) At first was very disjointed. Popcorn and smoke nose with a nectarine skin mouthfeel. Good, but not great. Maybe needs a few years to settle. (86+?)
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Full gold color. The bouquet introduces notes of lychee, mango, creme fraiche, slate & butterscotch. Lively mineral-laced citrus, stone fruit & tropical flavors with just hints of butterscotch and spice. Racy acid & a fine silky feel. Full mouthwatering finish.
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An electric chardonnay- lots of juicy fruits mingling with tingly acidity. I rarely get excited about chardonnay in general, but this was really nice juice.
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I consider this a stellar Chardonnay with all the critical components that make it unique. Great integration from beginning to end with a seamless entry and resounding finish. Floral, saline notes and citrus scents. Palate is both full and crisp at the same time with stone fruit predominating. Tropical notes emerge and mingle with some minerality that leads to a long finish. Beautiful wine.
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An incredible Chardonnay and a wonderful bottle of wine. Superb balance and flavor profile. Peach and nectarine flavors with white flower aromas and some stone. Pineapple and passion fruit mingle. Bracing in the mouth with a long, persistent finish. Excellent wine that will surely improve with a bit more time.
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6/6/2023 - mflesh wrote:
Cork had seeped all the way through. But the wine was fine. Thank goodness for wax seals. This wine has matured significantly and has a very silly mouthfeel, palate with everything from honeysuckle to banana to yellow peach to melon to butterscotch and finishes with a lot of herbal density. Still has a crispness to it but I definitely feel that this is because of its age not youthful character (obviously). Drink now. Have another one I was going to try to hold for another year but the leaky cork makes me nervous for sure, so it's probably getting the wine knife soon!
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2/13/2023 - mflesh wrote:
Poured a slight hazy amber to the glass. This bottle's wax capsule was chipped and the cork seemed to show a bit of seepage right at the chip, so take that for what it is worth. Plus the cork was pretty much soaked. The wine had a nose of beeswax, honey amber, mature yellow fruit. Poured a dark straw color to the glass. Palate was honeyed melon, mature white peach, white wildflowers. Rotund mouthfeel, a hint of limestone. Finished with mellow white pepper. The finish wasn't really as brooding as I thought it would have been therefore I am not sure if the slight seepage and cork comprise really had anything to do with this.
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6/27/2021 - P.A. Cross wrote:
Deep gold color, still floral on the nose, with dried fruit, maybe pear, or dried pineapple? A slight petrol note, maybe a little oxidation, but in a pleasant way. Maybe slightly herbal and savory smelling as well. In the mouth it’s waxy and rich, with some minerality and acid. The flavors are tropical with a slight smokiness. Very enjoyable and has held on well!
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4/25/2017 - prism wrote: 92 Points
I SO hate the ridiculous plastic "wax" seal. A time-consuming and strenuous hassle to penetrate; I feel like I'm dulling my foil cutter on this synthetic crap, which goes where when we're done with it? Other than that, good from the gate. Energetic, rich without being heavy; lively flavor on the palate, but it is such a direct, if high-toned, expression of the Chardonnay grape in California terroir that it is no more or less than that. Which is more than plenty good. Packaging 49, this bottle 92. Drink now.
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10/11/2016 - Derek Darth Taster Likes this wine: 94 Points
Pop and poured. Drank over 1 hour. At B&B PP, on a day when New World tastes like Old World, and Old World tastes like New World.
Thick wax seal, but an agglomerate cork?!
Appearance is clear, medium intensity, gold colour. Legs.
Nose is clean, medium+ intensity, with aromas of florals, saline and stony minerality (as a friend described: "a flowing river of minerals"), citrus lemon, and slight butter. Developed.
On the palate, dry, high acidity, medium+ alcohol (14.2%), medium+ body. Pronounced flavour intensity, with flavours of rich citrus lemon, white peaches, nectarines, sweet floral spice, slight thick waxy butter oil towards the finish. Long minerally finish.
Very very good quality. Drinking at peak already. No need to age this further. Drink up and enjoy. Definitely Burgandian style, with just a bit of an intensity ramp up. I need to find more of this Brewer-Clifton stuff.
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3/4/2016 - Mark Brandon Likes this wine: 91 Points
Excellent. Balanced. Quality... nothing jumps out. Part Burgundian.
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7/17/2015 - rocknroller wrote: 93 Points
Dinner at La Belle Vie (La Belle Vie, Mpls): Light gold color. PNP, drank 2 glasses over an hour plus. This was my last bottle and showing as well as it did 3 years ago. Very floral, earthy, a touch of mushroom, lemon, pineapple, nectarine. The palate has nice acid, medium plus body, sleek and long, nectarine, earth, lemon, pineapple, very subtle oak. Medium plus finish. 92+ to 93pts.
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3/31/2014 - GoBlue2002 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Central Coast Trip; 3/30/2014-4/1/2014: Tasted in the Brewer-Clifton tasting room. We tasted a 2009-11 vertical of Sweeney, with the 2009 the most developed and ready to drink, while being similar to the 2010 in style. Aromas and flavors of stone fruit, mushroom, and white flower. Aged 18 months in neutral oak, leaving a crisp acidity. This sports a longer finish, but was relatively simple. Quite nice.
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3/30/2014 - NostraBacchus wrote: 90 Points
Tasted at Brewer-Clifton. Pale golden color. Nose of stonefruit, tropical fruits (pineapple) and some waxy element. On the palate there are notes of tropical fruit again, passion fruit and again some buttery/waxy flavors that were a little off-putting at first (a lot of people might like them though). Medium+ body and medium acidity. Good length. A nice and interesting Chardonnay, but today the real star of this mini-vertical tasting was the 2011 in my opinion.
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3/1/2014 - d'Artagnan wrote: 90 Points
Souper à la Chronique: Nez iodé, avec des pêches, un peu de crème.
La bouche montre une bonne acidité et une certaine pureté qui pourraient nous amener en France, mais il a aussi une richesse de fruit typée de son origine. Très bien mais trop cher (72$). 90 pts
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2/5/2013 - air guitar & pinot noir Likes this wine: 92 Points
Beautiful golden yellow in color with great viscosity and legs in the glass. Bright citrus cream flavors and aromas with some underlying salinity. Wonderful mouthfeel and lasting finish. Just the right level of acidity to carry this to conclusion.
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12/3/2012 - cliffkol wrote: 90 Points
Nice dept of flavors. High acidity. Floral, pineapple, stone fruits, mineral flavors. The pineapple/tropical fruit and acidity were dominate, almost shadowing other elements. Still rated in the 90's because of the depth of flavors and balance.
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5/26/2012 - rocknroller wrote: 93 Points
Tasting Dinner (Bachelor Farmer, Mpls): Medium yellow color. Pop and pour, drank 2 glasses over 1 hour plus. Nose is exuberent, citrus, a bit of burnt rubber, striking minerals, apple, a little toasted oak, and a bit musty. The palate is full bodied, great minerality, nice fruit with citrus, apple, nice acids. Long finish.
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5/18/2012 - dbkitc wrote: 86 Points
(at Quince – SF) At first was very disjointed. Popcorn and smoke nose with a nectarine skin mouthfeel. Good, but not great. Maybe needs a few years to settle. (86+?)
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4/22/2012 - MattMauldin wrote: 92 Points
Full gold color. The bouquet introduces notes of lychee, mango, creme fraiche, slate & butterscotch. Lively mineral-laced citrus, stone fruit & tropical flavors with just hints of butterscotch and spice. Racy acid & a fine silky feel. Full mouthwatering finish.
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10/23/2011 - mjf@ulkner wrote: 94 Points
An electric chardonnay- lots of juicy fruits mingling with tingly acidity. I rarely get excited about chardonnay in general, but this was really nice juice.
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7/23/2011 - tommyvernieri wrote:
Nice and tropical on the finish. I definitely agree with the comments of peaches on the palate.
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7/3/2011 - air guitar & pinot noir wrote: 93 Points
I consider this a stellar Chardonnay with all the critical components that make it unique. Great integration from beginning to end with a seamless entry and resounding finish. Floral, saline notes and citrus scents. Palate is both full and crisp at the same time with stone fruit predominating. Tropical notes emerge and mingle with some minerality that leads to a long finish. Beautiful wine.
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4/17/2011 - air guitar & pinot noir wrote: 94 Points
An incredible Chardonnay and a wonderful bottle of wine. Superb balance and flavor profile. Peach and nectarine flavors with white flower aromas and some stone. Pineapple and passion fruit mingle. Bracing in the mouth with a long, persistent finish. Excellent wine that will surely improve with a bit more time.
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