found this bottle hiding in the wrong bin. Opened with family and was pleasantly surprised at how nicely it had endured. The wine looks light gold colored. The legs are medium. There is no sediment in the bottle. It tastes like apple and pear. The body is light/medium. The wine has smooth texture. The wine finishes short. The wine has low acidity. If you have one, enjoy it.
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Creamy fruit nose with dried pineapple, baked pear, drumstick sweets, just a touch sharp. Palate is quite viscous and full, some leesy notes, a little hot. Doesn’t taste 14 years old, but a bit awkward. Some nice plum in the mid-palate though. Not too oaky.
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This was a total surprise, to say the least. This was a bottle not properly stored, just in the collection, brought out in the culling of probable lost bottles. Pleasing nose of musky melon. Tasting was a full bore fireworks display from initial tongue contact, maintaining rigor throughout for the better part of a minute. Wash of seashell minerality was almost electric on first sip, but was not even noticed once drinking. Follow through of equal parts height of summer apricot and freshly muddled citrus. The oak listed by other reviewers must be made for the long haul, now that component is Chassagne-like, inviting the next sip like a siren song. If you happen across one of these bottles I would strongly recommend picking it up.
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Beautiful gold color. Pretty much no nose, and very little fruit. The only thing that remains is the oak. Had a glass as it was sort of interesting drinking liquid oak with no other discernible favors, but clearly this wine was long gone...
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Nose of toasted oak and a strong oak taste lingers on the finish. The flavours (pineapple, vanilla) that CellarTracker reviewers wrote about are present but faded, so while still enjoyable, it was now a bit flabby and oak dominant. Suggest if you're sitting on any, open it sooner than later.
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Straw. Green apple and fig nose. Green apple, pineapple, and mango again, but somehow now integrated with the oak. Long finish. This is superb. Much better than last year.
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A bit on the light side for a Chalk Hill. Very light on oak, vanilla is the dominant flavor, with some soft fruit, maybe apricot. It has a soft but lingering finish. Very nice, but some earlier vintages (eg 99) were more impressive
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Refreshing, intense and vibrant, with a mix of spice, floral, fig and apricot flavors that are rich, deep and complex, ending with a long, persistent finish.
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Green apple and fig in the nose, with a lot of oak. The toasty oak comes through the entire palate, and the fruit's lost in a flabby finish. Apple, pineapple and mango are under there. Overpriced.
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Boisterious, intense nose of ripe chardonnay fruit. Bannana, tropical notes, creme de leche, leesyiness, honey, vanilla, spice oak. And that is just the nose. A touch duller in color which I assume is the long barrel time. A touch duller in flavor (low acid) as well. This is not a wine that just zips on the palate. Its going to sit on your tounge and be there for a while. Although the alchohol is only somewhat in control (14.8% I believe) it tastes even higher. It tastes more developed than it actually is which I am not sure is a bad thing. I have on ocassion seen this bad boy tack more than a couple of year around its wastes and not give up the fruit love. Its big, its rich, and it nails the $45 price tag in my opinion. I would reccomend you don't chill this all that much.
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Received as a gift a few months back. On the nose there was pineapples and pears. On the palate the wine had a touch of oak, not over the top, with mango and pears as the predominant fruit. The wine had a nice mouthfeel, and when it warmed a bit, the creaminess began to show. A nice bottle.
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Extremely disappointing and not typical of the Chalk Hill Chardonnays of previous years. The wine was hot, even when chilled, and even more so when it came up to drinking temperature. More of a crisp style with mineral, green apple and melon flavors, not the soft, buttery, oaky refined style I'm accustomed to from this winery. Also a tad acidic. Improved slightly after 2 hours, but was still hot. If you're drinking it now, give it at least 90 minutes.
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A nose of butter and oak. Lots of toasted oak, creamy, overlaying pineapple in the mouth. Not overly well-balanced (feels a bit flabby), with an average finish.
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Put this in to chill before embarking on a 20 mile bicycle ride. Came home, popped and poured and enjoyed with some cheese and crackers.
Color: Seems a bit cloudy...or perhaps it's chalky? Nose: Getting melon rind, some minerality, pineapple. Flavor: Melon rind, minerals, citrus.
Not my favorite chard, and in fact have had better for less money. However, I will say that as time went on, this wine sort of grew on me. At first I was a bit disappointed, and in the end, I'm juxtaposed. I suppose I'd buy it again, but hesitantly.
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Firm yellow color, clear with good legs. The taste is thin citrus with a bit of pear and a lot of mineral. Good acid balance and a nice, moderate finish.
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Much better than a previous bottle that I, like other tasters, found oaky and simple, this wine was exceptionally ripe and perfumed with fig, stone fruit and melon notes shaded in buttery cream. Medium to full bodied with boyant acidity, this showed real complexity on the palate and ended on a lingering brown butter note.
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Brown Bag Challenge (Table & Vine): Nice ripe peachy flavors. Lower in apparent oak than the other wines in the flight. Some lemons chime in with a nice crispness. Some roundness on the palate, but not too thick. $39.99.
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wow. Is this overpriced. nose: butter, but faint. not particularly aromatic. some unripe peach in there too, perhaps. palate: kind of flat. Alcohol obvious. smooth mouthfeel is nice, but essentially devoid of personality. Can't believe this sells for $37 at costco. SEcond night: perhaps I was a bit harsh last night (or my palate was off...whatever the reason). Tonight, well-chilled, this wine is smooth, buttery, but with central lemon and tangerine notes. Much better package. The alcohol is still too dominant, but a pleasant sipper nonetheless. I'd go from yesterday's 83 to about 85 points. But really, it doesn't matter. I still think it's overpriced.
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I agree. Rich, oaky and buttery. A glass cost nearly $10 at a restaurant. Not really worth it in my opinion. Not balanced enough between the oak and the fruit. Good though (82.5).
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rich, buttery, lots of oak. No surprises bottle-to-bottle. I still like it when I'm ready for this particular taste, but it's no longer what I thought Chardonnay was supposed to taste like.
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5/5/2020 - camedia Likes this wine: 89 Points
found this bottle hiding in the wrong bin. Opened with family and was pleasantly surprised at how nicely it had endured.
The wine looks light gold colored. The legs are medium. There is no sediment in the bottle. It tastes like apple and pear. The body is light/medium. The wine has smooth texture. The wine finishes short. The wine has low acidity. If you have one, enjoy it.
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10/7/2019 - Benj wrote: 86 Points
Creamy fruit nose with dried pineapple, baked pear, drumstick sweets, just a touch sharp. Palate is quite viscous and full, some leesy notes, a little hot. Doesn’t taste 14 years old, but a bit awkward. Some nice plum in the mid-palate though. Not too oaky.
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7/8/2015 - nextworld Likes this wine: 94 Points
This was a total surprise, to say the least. This was a bottle not properly stored, just in the collection, brought out in the culling of probable lost bottles. Pleasing nose of musky melon. Tasting was a full bore fireworks display from initial tongue contact, maintaining rigor throughout for the better part of a minute. Wash of seashell minerality was almost electric on first sip, but was not even noticed once drinking. Follow through of equal parts height of summer apricot and freshly muddled citrus. The oak listed by other reviewers must be made for the long haul, now that component is Chassagne-like, inviting the next sip like a siren song. If you happen across one of these bottles I would strongly recommend picking it up.
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6/13/2013 - Baron Slick wrote: 93 Points
Beautiful golden, honey wheat color. Lovely aromas of honeyed fruits, cinnamon roll, hazelnuts, and must. Ripe, candied, and mature flavors of pineapple upside-down cake, apricots, caramel, butterscotch, spice box, minerals galore, and a citrus pith finish that lingers. Excellent body, depth, length, and texture. A welcome surprise.
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5/9/2013 - domco wrote:
Beautiful gold color. Pretty much no nose, and very little fruit. The only thing that remains is the oak. Had a glass as it was sort of interesting drinking liquid oak with no other discernible favors, but clearly this wine was long gone...
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12/16/2011 - gkrueger wrote: 90 Points
Excellent
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7/30/2011 - carlsport wrote: 92 Points
Wife - one of her favorites.
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7/3/2011 - roasted hill wrote: flawed
The cork just crumbled. Yellow gold. Still with hints of tropical fruit and pear, but essentially gone.
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5/14/2011 - Booth wrote: 87 Points
Nose of toasted oak and a strong oak taste lingers on the finish. The flavours (pineapple, vanilla) that CellarTracker reviewers wrote about are present but faded, so while still enjoyable, it was now a bit flabby and oak dominant. Suggest if you're sitting on any, open it sooner than later.
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1/23/2011 - roasted hill wrote:
Straw. Green apple and fig nose. Green apple, pineapple, and mango again, but somehow now integrated with the oak. Long finish. This is superb. Much better than last year.
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9/3/2010 - the godfather wrote:
pretty tasty
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8/7/2010 - Alfaro wrote: 93 Points
Phenomenal!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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8/6/2010 - KSWinegeek wrote: 87 Points
Butterscotch, vanilla and oak. Not a well put together package. From Dad's cellar at Keuka
.
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8/2/2010 - wpd wrote: 90 Points
Same as previous notes.
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5/12/2010 - ktfox wrote: 88 Points
A bit on the light side for a Chalk Hill. Very light on oak, vanilla is the dominant flavor, with some soft fruit, maybe apricot. It has a soft but lingering finish. Very nice, but some earlier vintages (eg 99) were more impressive
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5/11/2010 - spee wrote: 92 Points
Cali Chard all the way. Butter, a kiss of oak, toasty vanilla.
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4/29/2010 - Alfaro wrote: 90 Points
Refreshing, intense and vibrant, with a mix of spice, floral, fig and apricot flavors that are rich, deep and complex, ending with a long, persistent finish.
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4/18/2010 - roasted hill wrote:
Green apple and fig in the nose, with a lot of oak. The toasty oak comes through the entire palate, and the fruit's lost in a flabby finish. Apple, pineapple and mango are under there. Overpriced.
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1/2/2010 - wpd wrote: 90 Points
Very consistent big California chard. Nice balance of oak, acid, round finish.
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9/21/2009 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Boisterious, intense nose of ripe chardonnay fruit. Bannana, tropical notes, creme de leche, leesyiness, honey, vanilla, spice oak. And that is just the nose. A touch duller in color which I assume is the long barrel time. A touch duller in flavor (low acid) as well. This is not a wine that just zips on the palate. Its going to sit on your tounge and be there for a while. Although the alchohol is only somewhat in control (14.8% I believe) it tastes even higher. It tastes more developed than it actually is which I am not sure is a bad thing. I have on ocassion seen this bad boy tack more than a couple of year around its wastes and not give up the fruit love. Its big, its rich, and it nails the $45 price tag in my opinion. I would reccomend you don't chill this all that much.
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9/18/2009 - robnmo wrote: 88 Points
Received as a gift a few months back. On the nose there was pineapples and pears. On the palate the wine had a touch of oak, not over the top, with mango and pears as the predominant fruit. The wine had a nice mouthfeel, and when it warmed a bit, the creaminess began to show. A nice bottle.
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6/11/2009 - bradleyx wrote: 85 Points
Extremely disappointing and not typical of the Chalk Hill Chardonnays of previous years. The wine was hot, even when chilled, and even more so when it came up to drinking temperature. More of a crisp style with mineral, green apple and melon flavors, not the soft, buttery, oaky refined style I'm accustomed to from this winery. Also a tad acidic. Improved slightly after 2 hours, but was still hot. If you're drinking it now, give it at least 90 minutes.
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10/8/2008 - THaas wrote: 83 Points
A nose of butter and oak. Lots of toasted oak, creamy, overlaying pineapple in the mouth. Not overly well-balanced (feels a bit flabby), with an average finish.
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9/23/2008 - beezer6 wrote: 91 Points
Southern Wine and Spirits Fall Fest (Navy Pier - Chicago, IL): Tasted at the 2008 Southern Wine and Spirits Fall Fest at Navy Pier.
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7/27/2008 - Jazzman wrote:
Put this in to chill before embarking on a 20 mile bicycle ride. Came home, popped and poured and enjoyed with some cheese and crackers.
Color: Seems a bit cloudy...or perhaps it's chalky?
Nose: Getting melon rind, some minerality, pineapple.
Flavor: Melon rind, minerals, citrus.
Not my favorite chard, and in fact have had better for less money. However, I will say that as time went on, this wine sort of grew on me. At first I was a bit disappointed, and in the end, I'm juxtaposed. I suppose I'd buy it again, but hesitantly.
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7/24/2008 - vine20 wrote: 89 Points
Firm yellow color, clear with good legs. The taste is thin citrus with a bit of pear and a lot of mineral. Good acid balance and a nice, moderate finish.
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7/5/2008 - wino_tim wrote: 90 Points
Much better than a previous bottle that I, like other tasters, found oaky and simple, this wine was exceptionally ripe and perfumed with fig, stone fruit and melon notes shaded in buttery cream. Medium to full bodied with boyant acidity, this showed real complexity on the palate and ended on a lingering brown butter note.
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6/16/2008 - mdefreitas wrote: 88 Points
Brown Bag Challenge (Table & Vine): Nice ripe peachy flavors. Lower in apparent oak than the other wines in the flight. Some lemons chime in with a nice crispness. Some roundness on the palate, but not too thick. $39.99.
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6/12/2008 - tarheel17 wrote: 84 Points
wow. Is this overpriced.
nose: butter, but faint. not particularly aromatic. some unripe peach in there too, perhaps.
palate: kind of flat. Alcohol obvious. smooth mouthfeel is nice, but essentially devoid of personality. Can't believe this sells for $37 at costco.
SEcond night: perhaps I was a bit harsh last night (or my palate was off...whatever the reason). Tonight, well-chilled, this wine is smooth, buttery, but with central lemon and tangerine notes. Much better package. The alcohol is still too dominant, but a pleasant sipper nonetheless. I'd go from yesterday's 83 to about 85 points. But really, it doesn't matter. I still think it's overpriced.
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6/9/2008 - brich wrote: 88 Points
very run of the mill for the price.
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6/7/2008 - vine20 wrote: 87 Points
Moderate yellow color and strong citrus nose. Fruit was overshadowed by the acid and the oak. Strong but unclear mineral taste.
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4/19/2008 - Ombibulous wrote: 83 Points
I agree. Rich, oaky and buttery. A glass cost nearly $10 at a restaurant. Not really worth it in my opinion. Not balanced enough between the oak and the fruit. Good though (82.5).
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4/5/2008 - camacu wrote: 88 Points
rich, buttery, lots of oak. No surprises bottle-to-bottle. I still like it when I'm ready for this particular taste, but it's no longer what I thought Chardonnay was supposed to taste like.
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