This is a simply stunning example of mature chardonnay that is, for my preferences, at its zenith. Showing a bit of bronzing in color and some slight oxidative notes, but buttressed by loads of still-fresh acidity, lemon, and salted hazelnuts in the mouth. The finish keeps on rolling thanks to the great extract and just seems to pull on the back of the tongue. Wow...super impressive juice.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Burg Dinner (CA and France--Served Blind!)--Part 2 (The Macks In Bennett Valley): This wine at over 10 years old is hanging right in there. Joe Davis made a great chard out of this fruit and it's really lithe, fruity with lemon oil, citrus and a long finish. The length here is very nice and it maintains an even balance.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Followed over 2 nights with strikingly similar notes as my last TN from May 2010.
Beautiful bright- brassy color that shows no signs of the fact that it is a 12-year old domestic chardonnay. This has been firing on all cylinders since pulling the cork 24 hours ago, and boasts a very aromatic nose of slate, lemon oil and sea salt. The palate shows a hint of butterscotch on the finish, but is still very fresh. Taut and linear from the big dose of acidity which reminds me a bit of the Roulot style, but with a domestic sweetness to the fruit.
Really delicious chardonnay that should show well for a few more years yet.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This Chardonnay has aged very well, showing touches of butterscotchy richness atop a base of lemony acidity. Doesn't quite come together well enough to be truly great, but still a great example of a top CA chard producer - a dinner guest who hates oaky CA chards loved this one because it's clean without being austere.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
medium gold. Ripe, developed, toasty nose; caramel, lemon. Full-bodied, broad palate but not heavy or fat due to off-the-charts acidity, which preserves the wine, adds to the mineral expression, and drives it. ! Tart lemon finish, with a mineral quality coming from the searing acidity, contributing to a saline, minerally texture under the fruit. Medium finish. Notes of caramel, toast, yeast, brioche. Clean, crisp, still nervy underneath.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Another great bottle. Brassy yellow color. Lots of lemon and slate on the nose, followed by a racy, lean and crisp lemon/pineapple filled palate. The citrus notes lengthen and keep pulling on the finish. Followed over 3 days. 13.0 ABV. Delicious.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Medium color nose of stone fruit, nectarine, a slight oxidative note that blew off over the course of several hours. This wine is lean & mean with wonderful minerality, lively acidity and just a really elegant drink. My only complaint is the brief finsih. This wine got better the longer is was open and shares some of the hallmarks of a mature Puligny-Monrachet.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Peach and citrus notes on the palate. Long and full on the midpalate, yet it's clean and precise. Deftly touched with acidity. Tastes younger than its years. Delicious.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
A departure from all of the other Arcadian chards. This was leaner with more citrus fruits on the palate and lighter in color. Still holds the full-bodied mouthfeel and profound mid-palate. It's as if Joe blended a Chablis style barrel with a Montrachet barrel. In the end, this is as balanced and stylish as a Ca. chard can be, a triumph in my eyes.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Arcadian in the OC with Joe Davis (Jim Dietz's): I wasn't very fond of this initially but it picked up more and more the longer it was opened and became one of my favorites on the evening. Initially there was some straw aromas and sherried notes on the palate. But that seemed to recede leaving a stony nose of lemons. A slightly sweet palate of lemon and vanilla with strong acidity and some minerals with a touch of veggies. Very nice elegant Chardonnay so very very rarely seen from California. And they even age!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Well balanced, like all Arcadians I've had. Citrus flavors, luxurious mouthfeel. Not enough distinct character. I'm spoiled by the Arcadian Sleepy Hollow Chardonnays.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This wine was golden yellow in color, with nice clarity and intensity. Aromas of caramel, and granny smith apples, with a little citrus fruit on the nose. Medium bodied, with tart apples, and not very heavy, giving a fairly clean finish with a little zip from the acidity. Quite enjoyable.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Red Carpet: Dark & bright gold; nice grpfrt, floral, citrus notes, some minerals; nice med-full bod, good reflective flavors of the nose; round mth, oaky tang at end; grt fin.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
10/15/2023 - decaturwinedude wrote: 90 Points
Big Arcadian Tasting in ATL Part II, With Joe Davis (1998-2005); 10/15/2023-10/16/2023: 14 years since my last taste...last night we had two bottles- one bottle was oxidized- old -second bottle was much more fresh-burgundian-clean, good acid- some peach and citrus notes. V good with scallop dish
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/4/2015 - rjoyer wrote:
This is a simply stunning example of mature chardonnay that is, for my preferences, at its zenith. Showing a bit of bronzing in color and some slight oxidative notes, but buttressed by loads of still-fresh acidity, lemon, and salted hazelnuts in the mouth. The finish keeps on rolling thanks to the great extract and just seems to pull on the back of the tongue. Wow...super impressive juice.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/7/2012 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Burg Dinner (CA and France--Served Blind!)--Part 2 (The Macks In Bennett Valley): This wine at over 10 years old is hanging right in there. Joe Davis made a great chard out of this fruit and it's really lithe, fruity with lemon oil, citrus and a long finish. The length here is very nice and it maintains an even balance.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/4/2012 - rjoyer wrote:
Followed over 2 nights with strikingly similar notes as my last TN from May 2010.
Beautiful bright- brassy color that shows no signs of the fact that it is a 12-year old domestic chardonnay. This has been firing on all cylinders since pulling the cork 24 hours ago, and boasts a very aromatic nose of slate, lemon oil and sea salt. The palate shows a hint of butterscotch on the finish, but is still very fresh. Taut and linear from the big dose of acidity which reminds me a bit of the Roulot style, but with a domestic sweetness to the fruit.
Really delicious chardonnay that should show well for a few more years yet.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/27/2011 - granikmw wrote:
Disappointing bottle: less complexity; searing acidity. Drinkable but not a show bottle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/24/2011 - amateurwino wrote: 91 Points
This Chardonnay has aged very well, showing touches of butterscotchy richness atop a base of lemony acidity. Doesn't quite come together well enough to be truly great, but still a great example of a top CA chard producer - a dinner guest who hates oaky CA chards loved this one because it's clean without being austere.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/28/2011 - granikmw wrote:
medium gold. Ripe, developed, toasty nose; caramel, lemon.
Full-bodied, broad palate but not heavy or fat due to off-the-charts acidity, which preserves the wine, adds to the mineral expression, and drives it. ! Tart lemon finish, with a mineral quality coming from the searing acidity, contributing to a saline, minerally texture under the fruit. Medium finish. Notes of caramel, toast, yeast, brioche. Clean, crisp, still nervy underneath.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/21/2011 - curtispomeroy wrote: 92 Points
Delicious. Still has more life in it.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/20/2010 - rjoyer wrote:
Another great bottle. Brassy yellow color. Lots of lemon and slate on the nose, followed by a racy, lean and crisp lemon/pineapple filled palate. The citrus notes lengthen and keep pulling on the finish. Followed over 3 days. 13.0 ABV. Delicious.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/16/2009 - ebrown35 wrote: 92 Points
Medium color nose of stone fruit, nectarine, a slight oxidative note that blew off over the course of several hours. This wine is lean & mean with wonderful minerality, lively acidity and just a really elegant drink. My only complaint is the brief finsih. This wine got better the longer is was open and shares some of the hallmarks of a mature Puligny-Monrachet.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/5/2009 - charbo wrote:
my wife bogarted it. didn't even tell me she popped it
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/1/2009 - decaturwinedude wrote: 90 Points
Peach and citrus notes on the palate. Long and full on the midpalate, yet it's clean and precise. Deftly touched with acidity. Tastes younger than its years. Delicious.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/26/2009 - charbo wrote:
fresh citrus with buttered pineaplle and a grassy freshness. very good
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/22/2009 - srigisich wrote: 95 Points
A departure from all of the other Arcadian chards. This was leaner with more citrus fruits on the palate and lighter in color. Still holds the full-bodied mouthfeel and profound mid-palate. It's as if Joe blended a Chablis style barrel with a Montrachet barrel. In the end, this is as balanced and stylish as a Ca. chard can be, a triumph in my eyes.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/7/2008 - WetRock wrote:
Arcadian in the OC with Joe Davis (Jim Dietz's): I wasn't very fond of this initially but it picked up more and more the longer it was opened and became one of my favorites on the evening. Initially there was some straw aromas and sherried notes on the palate. But that seemed to recede leaving a stony nose of lemons. A slightly sweet palate of lemon and vanilla with strong acidity and some minerals with a touch of veggies. Very nice elegant Chardonnay so very very rarely seen from California. And they even age!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/27/2006 - jdvk wrote: 88 Points
Well balanced, like all Arcadians I've had. Citrus flavors, luxurious mouthfeel. Not enough distinct character. I'm spoiled by the Arcadian Sleepy Hollow Chardonnays.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/29/2006 - Ali wrote: 91 Points
Well balanced.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/4/2005 - Tom_B wrote: 89 Points
This wine was golden yellow in color, with nice clarity and intensity. Aromas of caramel, and granny smith apples, with a little citrus fruit on the nose. Medium bodied, with tart apples, and not very heavy, giving a fairly clean finish with a little zip from the acidity. Quite enjoyable.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/6/2004 - peternelson wrote: 89 Points
Red Carpet: Dark & bright gold; nice grpfrt, floral, citrus notes, some minerals; nice med-full bod, good reflective flavors of the nose; round mth, oaky tang at end; grt fin.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment