Shared this wine with pat at selkirk manor to celebrate the end of the work week. Paired with seafood. Can't believe it has been a year and a half since we last tasted this wine. This bottle was still on the retailer shelf at a discount price. I couldn't resist the bargain. And, I wanted to gather further impressions. the wine appears to have reached its apogee and now presents as an understated cali chard with more emphasis on pure fruit and very little butter/lemon. still has some acidity holding things together. this wine shows well considering that it is seven years past the vintage. but i think it may be in early decline. i think i got the last bottle at my local retailer but will check again. would drink one more time this summer just for the fun of it.
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Bright gold appearance. Possesses Burgundian finesse all around. Ripe, toasty, and tropical aromas of lemons, mangoes, and pineapple. Smooth, clean, and very exuberant, the full-bodied palate is energized by ample minerality, taut acidity, and beautiful fruit purity. Finishes long, complete, and persistent, showing attractive depth, complexity, and vinosity. Lemon zest aftertaste.
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Shared this wine with pat at selkirk manor to celebrate new year's day. Paired with seafood brunch. Can't believe it has been six months since last taste. This bottle was still on the retailer shelf at a discount price. I couldn't resist the bargain. And, I wanted to gather further impressions. I liked this bottle a little better than the last one. A little more prominent fruit. Better balanced. More expressive overall. Will probably go back for whatever is left.
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shared with pat at selkirk manor to celebrate the end of the work week. Chardonnay Wine (store) was discounting this as a close out since it was a back vintage. i decided to take a chance, knowing nothing about the wine. I enjoyed it very much, but not quite as much as galloni. perhaps it is beginning to lose some of its luster. i found it to be rather austere, with the minerality overtaking the fruit. interesting wine, nevertheless. i would try one more to check on bottle variation. however, i disagree with galloni longevity. (2020) i don't see this wine achieving greater balance in the future.
Nice, yellow and bright. Nose of lemon zest and other citrus. Light on the oak delivery. well crafted, good food wine. Not your typical cali chard, which i happen to like too....a good wine for the money.
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Guess what? This was great. Clear light yellow. Lemon, smoke, apple and mineral. Great tension. Delicious French style palate and a long dry delicious finish.
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Tasting Dinner Series (4 of 6); Tim does Italy (Tim's House): Popped and poured, light straw colour in the glass. On the nose, candied lemon, mineral, spice, lime zest, vanilla, with a touch of melon as it warms in the glass. On the palate, this is richly textured with some nice complimentary acidity that is critical to the enjoyment of this wine. Finishes long. Decidedly modern, but a quality wine none the less.
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Super Tasting 4 of 6 - Tim does italy (Waterloo, Ontario): Very pretty lemon custard, spice and nutmeg on the nose. Palate shows lemon, lime, vanilla custard, and spice. There is a candied element to this wine but the acid is fresh giving balance. This is a crowd pleaser for sure. Finish shows good length. Nice wine
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Super Tasting 4 of 6 (Italian Gems, Hosted by Tim) (Tim's House): Modern and polished napa chard here. Nose is of vanilla, cream, nutmeg, flowers, giving plenty of oak derived aeromatics. Palate is very round, creamy, and has just enough acid to balance. Only a touch of heat noted. Good but not exceptional. Definitely a crowd pleaser, but my heart is far more in the white served prior.
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Pretty tropical fruit nose with notes of pineapple most prominent. Citrus, pineapple and pie crust becomes even more complex as it warms and opens further. Modest length finish.
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Fragrant and exotic nose marked by sweet vanilla and toasted oak, dominated by ginger, pineapple and crisp apples. On the palate, the wine is fresh and full-bodied with a sweet, almost creamy, texture. Slightly 'hot' on the finish. Difficult wine to serve at the right temperature: at 14 C the wine shows off its 14.1% alcool with some bitterness at the finish, while at 11 C the wine's aromatic shuts down. Well worth the price. I think the wine will gain complexity with a few more years (hazelnut) but I doubt that balance and freshness will follow. Will have to find out I guess.
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Saw it as Costco and bought it for $26 because Nate Weis is the winemaker and I know him from when he was at Patz & Hall. Popped and poured. On the nose, there is a lot of oak and a little bit of a funk. We'll have to see if that blows off with some time. None of that is evident in the mouth. It's lean and crisp, with some green apple, lime, butterscotch, and vanilla. There is a little bit of astringency to the mouthfeel, from the oak I would suspect, and the finish is rather abrupt. I don't drink much Chard, but I would probably give this a couple of years in the bottle and try it again. I would be curious about what the oak treatment is. A little bit of creaminess in the mouthfeel-I'd guess 50% malo, but I'm usually wrong when I guess that. The good news is that it isn't a buttery oakbomb. Still, it has more oak than I would prefer (which, admittedly, is none).
OK, after about half an hour, I have concluded that this bottle is slightly corked. I'm relatively insensitive to TCA, but the funk I'm picking up on the nose and the astringency on the palate is TCA. I'll have my wife try it when she gets home in a bit (she can sense TCA a mile away), but I'm thinking this is corked.
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Yellow color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of pineapple, lychee and camphor. Flavors of dried pineapple, lemon and creme fraiche. Medium acidity, medium to full bodied. Drink over the next 5 years.
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A finely crafted Chardonnay that is lean and focused. No flabby, oaky butterbomb. There is a level of malo that adds interest to the palate. Lovely nose. Not a bad QPR either.
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Very impressive, more cool climate than typical Napa chard, this was excellent - Light gold, full bodied with a nose of peach, pear, butterscotch, caramel and vanilla, nice structure, minerality and balance, off dry on the palate with terrific length, tasty! (90 Points).
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This wine wasn't showing well tonight. I think it was the only white in a sea of red, all reds opened before this one. It didn't get a fair shake. Word to the wise - based on previous experience, you think that this one might hold up when there are lots of reds on the table - - -- you need to still drink this one first.
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Best chardonnay I've had in a few weeks, but I still don't know if this beats the Hudson from Carneros. This was the second of about 10-12 wines served tonight. I liked this wine maybe a tad better than the 2009 given that it seemed to have more apple pie spice with a good weighted butter backbone. This wine is not over buttered. If you want something that you can butter your toast with, look for a Bennett chard or something like that. This wine is very balanced, crisp, and the best of both worlds. This wine was put in a line up with two oakville cabs, 2 Rutherford Cabs, 2 Calistoga Cabs, and an Illumination/Quintessa Sauvignon blanc and received one first, second, and third place vote. Not too shabby. I think this is probably a touch better than the 2009 that I have already reviewed. I thought we were going to go through 2 bottles of this, but thankfully it was only one...which leaves me with 2 more. Score!! This wine is good to go now, or can wait 3 more years, possibly even up to 10 with this being Estate Grown Atlas Peak fruit. Partial malolactic, and very enjoyable!!!
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Clear light yellow. Medium intesity, mineral, lemon and stone. Very chablis like flavours and a nice dry finish. Very much like Chablis with just a little richness/sweetness. Very good.
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6/9/2017 - bacchus wrote: 90 Points
Shared this wine with pat at selkirk manor to celebrate the end of the work week. Paired with seafood. Can't believe it has been a year and a half since we last tasted this wine. This bottle was still on the retailer shelf at a discount price. I couldn't resist the bargain. And, I wanted to gather further impressions. the wine appears to have reached its apogee and now presents as an understated cali chard with more emphasis on pure fruit and very little butter/lemon. still has some acidity holding things together. this wine shows well considering that it is seven years past the vintage. but i think it may be in early decline. i think i got the last bottle at my local retailer but will check again. would drink one more time this summer just for the fun of it.
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10/8/2016 - Baron Slick wrote: 92 Points
Bright gold appearance. Possesses Burgundian finesse all around. Ripe, toasty, and tropical aromas of lemons, mangoes, and pineapple. Smooth, clean, and very exuberant, the full-bodied palate is energized by ample minerality, taut acidity, and beautiful fruit purity. Finishes long, complete, and persistent, showing attractive depth, complexity, and vinosity. Lemon zest aftertaste.
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1/1/2016 - bacchus wrote: 90 Points
Shared this wine with pat at selkirk manor to celebrate new year's day. Paired with seafood brunch. Can't believe it has been six months since last taste. This bottle was still on the retailer shelf at a discount price. I couldn't resist the bargain. And, I wanted to gather further impressions. I liked this bottle a little better than the last one. A little more prominent fruit. Better balanced. More expressive overall. Will probably go back for whatever is left.
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8/19/2015 - rsed Likes this wine: 90 Points
crisp,clean, refreshing, stone fruits, many years of life for a white
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5/15/2015 - bacchus wrote: 90 Points
shared with pat at selkirk manor to celebrate the end of the work week. Chardonnay Wine (store) was discounting this as a close out since it was a back vintage. i decided to take a chance, knowing nothing about the wine. I enjoyed it very much, but not quite as much as galloni. perhaps it is beginning to lose some of its luster. i found it to be rather austere, with the minerality overtaking the fruit. interesting wine, nevertheless. i would try one more to check on bottle variation. however, i disagree with galloni longevity. (2020) i don't see this wine achieving greater balance in the future.
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10/18/2014 - David J Cooper wrote: 91 Points
Guess what this was delicious although it showed a little ox in the finish, so it may be time.
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8/13/2013 - Jayarr wrote: 91 Points
Second bottle and was a good as the first. Clear and bright and not overly oaked which I appreciate. Well balanced and darn tasty.
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6/20/2013 - Neecies Likes this wine: 91 Points
Lightly oaked, crisp and balanced. Sophisticated in a way that's more Europe than California. Excellent.
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5/24/2013 - DelmarvaWine.com Likes this wine: 90 Points
Tasted pineapple and butterscotch in each mouthful. Not the crisp, citric style so it was right up my alley. Nice!
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5/19/2013 - Grayvino wrote: 90 Points
Nice, yellow and bright. Nose of lemon zest and other citrus. Light on the oak delivery. well crafted, good food wine. Not your typical cali chard, which i happen to like too....a good wine for the money.
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5/4/2013 - David J Cooper wrote: 92 Points
Guess what? This was great. Clear light yellow. Lemon, smoke, apple and mineral. Great tension. Delicious French style palate and a long dry delicious finish.
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4/6/2013 - alittle wrote: 90 Points
Tasting Dinner Series (4 of 6); Tim does Italy (Tim's House): Popped and poured, light straw colour in the glass. On the nose, candied lemon, mineral, spice, lime zest, vanilla, with a touch of melon as it warms in the glass. On the palate, this is richly textured with some nice complimentary acidity that is critical to the enjoyment of this wine. Finishes long. Decidedly modern, but a quality wine none the less.
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4/6/2013 - Dave Canada wrote: 91 Points
Super Tasting 4 of 6 - Tim does italy (Waterloo, Ontario): Very pretty lemon custard, spice and nutmeg on the nose. Palate shows lemon, lime, vanilla custard, and spice. There is a candied element to this wine but the acid is fresh giving balance. This is a crowd pleaser for sure. Finish shows good length. Nice wine
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4/6/2013 - Wine Canuck wrote: 91 Points
Super Tasting 4 of 6 (Italian Gems, Hosted by Tim) (Tim's House): Modern and polished napa chard here. Nose is of vanilla, cream, nutmeg, flowers, giving plenty of oak derived aeromatics. Palate is very round, creamy, and has just enough acid to balance. Only a touch of heat noted. Good but not exceptional. Definitely a crowd pleaser, but my heart is far more in the white served prior.
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1/19/2013 - VinVet wrote: 91 Points
Pretty tropical fruit nose with notes of pineapple most prominent. Citrus, pineapple and pie crust becomes even more complex as it warms and opens further. Modest length finish.
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1/7/2013 - DuVinMD Likes this wine: 91 Points
Fragrant and exotic nose marked by sweet vanilla and toasted oak, dominated by ginger, pineapple and crisp apples. On the palate, the wine is fresh and full-bodied with a sweet, almost creamy, texture. Slightly 'hot' on the finish. Difficult wine to serve at the right temperature: at 14 C the wine shows off its 14.1% alcool with some bitterness at the finish, while at 11 C the wine's aromatic shuts down. Well worth the price. I think the wine will gain complexity with a few more years (hazelnut) but I doubt that balance and freshness will follow. Will have to find out I guess.
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12/27/2012 - irish87 wrote: flawed
Saw it as Costco and bought it for $26 because Nate Weis is the winemaker and I know him from when he was at Patz & Hall. Popped and poured. On the nose, there is a lot of oak and a little bit of a funk. We'll have to see if that blows off with some time. None of that is evident in the mouth. It's lean and crisp, with some green apple, lime, butterscotch, and vanilla. There is a little bit of astringency to the mouthfeel, from the oak I would suspect, and the finish is rather abrupt. I don't drink much Chard, but I would probably give this a couple of years in the bottle and try it again. I would be curious about what the oak treatment is. A little bit of creaminess in the mouthfeel-I'd guess 50% malo, but I'm usually wrong when I guess that. The good news is that it isn't a buttery oakbomb. Still, it has more oak than I would prefer (which, admittedly, is none).
OK, after about half an hour, I have concluded that this bottle is slightly corked. I'm relatively insensitive to TCA, but the funk I'm picking up on the nose and the astringency on the palate is TCA. I'll have my wife try it when she gets home in a bit (she can sense TCA a mile away), but I'm thinking this is corked.
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11/3/2012 - wineismylife wrote: 91 Points
Dallas 2nd Wednesday Group - November 2012 (Michael Byington's house in North Dallas): WIML91
Tasted non blind. Opened and served immediately.
Yellow color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of pineapple, lychee and camphor. Flavors of dried pineapple, lemon and creme fraiche. Medium acidity, medium to full bodied. Drink over the next 5 years.
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9/26/2012 - Sauvyfan Likes this wine: 90 Points
A finely crafted Chardonnay that is lean and focused. No flabby, oaky butterbomb. There is a level of malo that adds interest to the palate. Lovely nose. Not a bad QPR either.
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9/23/2012 - mflesh wrote: 91 Points
I'll stick with 91 on this, but I don't know - might be more like 90 in all honesty. Good, but not much to it. Was showing a lot of citrus tonight.
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9/8/2012 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 89 Points
Atlas Peak Tasting. Some citrus on the nose, lighter yellow color in the glass, citrus and spice on the palate, subtle, medium body and medium finish.
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9/1/2012 - Tarrant wrote: 90 Points
Very impressive, more cool climate than typical Napa chard, this was excellent - Light gold, full bodied with a nose of peach, pear, butterscotch, caramel and vanilla, nice structure, minerality and balance, off dry on the palate with terrific length, tasty! (90 Points).
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8/21/2012 - mflesh wrote: 91 Points
This wine wasn't showing well tonight. I think it was the only white in a sea of red, all reds opened before this one. It didn't get a fair shake. Word to the wise - based on previous experience, you think that this one might hold up when there are lots of reds on the table - - -- you need to still drink this one first.
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7/22/2012 - mflesh wrote: 92 Points
Best chardonnay I've had in a few weeks, but I still don't know if this beats the Hudson from Carneros. This was the second of about 10-12 wines served tonight. I liked this wine maybe a tad better than the 2009 given that it seemed to have more apple pie spice with a good weighted butter backbone. This wine is not over buttered. If you want something that you can butter your toast with, look for a Bennett chard or something like that. This wine is very balanced, crisp, and the best of both worlds. This wine was put in a line up with two oakville cabs, 2 Rutherford Cabs, 2 Calistoga Cabs, and an Illumination/Quintessa Sauvignon blanc and received one first, second, and third place vote. Not too shabby. I think this is probably a touch better than the 2009 that I have already reviewed. I thought we were going to go through 2 bottles of this, but thankfully it was only one...which leaves me with 2 more. Score!! This wine is good to go now, or can wait 3 more years, possibly even up to 10 with this being Estate Grown Atlas Peak fruit. Partial malolactic, and very enjoyable!!!
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7/11/2012 - Votefordennis wrote: 92 Points
Citrus aromas, great mineral taste, love it.
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6/13/2012 - David J Cooper wrote: 91 Points
Clear yellow. Lots of steely lemon and flint, a bit smokey. Creamy but not too rich lemon flavours and a dry finish.
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4/29/2012 - David J Cooper wrote: 91 Points
Clear light yellow. Medium intesity, mineral, lemon and stone. Very chablis like flavours and a nice dry finish. Very much like Chablis with just a little richness/sweetness. Very good.
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