Blind....light straw color in the glass. Sweet nose with white flowers. For some reason I seemed to be one of the few who appreciated the grapefruit on the palate that went on throughout. However, to me it seems to lack a bit of acidity and seems a tad flat. Maybe a product of airtime? I don't know. 89-90 for me.
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Could have easily been blinded on this to arrive at Meursault with moderate age - flinty, mineral-driven aromas with abundant spice develop over several hours open, the palate is lush with crisp acidity & still full of orchard fruit (pear/green apple) and citrus, also giving a mineral-laden finish of moderate length. More body and fuller palate presence than other '12's opened over the past few months from the same group. Close to peak maturity but still holding very well, excellent bottle.
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Compared to other Ceritas chardonnays, this does not have the same tension and vibrancy - the fruit feels broad, ripe, ponderous. Compared to most other chardonnays, this has great acidity with some nice minerality, and is drinking well.
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a Small Ceritas Heintz Chardonnay Vertical (chicago, IL): Though this was given about two hours of air, it was pretty giving right away and stayed that way providing fresh and balanced tones of ginger, limes, lemon peels, stone fruits, peaches, white fruits, acacia flowers, pears, mineral notes, and some saline. Though it has taken on some maturity, there is a lot of freshness and vibrancy without showing more honeyed tones. The Medium bodied feel is balanced and lithe with tart, medium+ acidity. I wondered what one of these with something approaching age would taste like and this is really damned good! It has more smoothed out with the tones acting in perfect harmony rather than it taking on more oxidative and classic aging flavors. All of that may happen with more age, but this is extremely good right now and absolutely should be enjoyed.
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Drinking perfectly. Very complex on the nose and palate. On the nose rockmelon, pineapple and honeydew, saline salty sea air smell. On the palate, acid medium, creamy vanilla, lemon peel, saltiness. Insane clarity. The wine that started it all for me.
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This is great right now. Creamy, citrusy, with plenty of acid zip but not in your face at all. You can drink this now with or without food, although some Brillât Savarin was the perfect complement.
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Beautiful bottle showing the exotic fruit notes from Heintz (sort of like a less wild Bongran) paired with a firm mineral spice and some secondary spice and floral complexity. Everything I'm trying from Ceritas these days I'm loving. Unfortunately this was my last bottle.
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Terrific wine, and much better than the 2011 version from a couple weeks ago (which was still pretty good, just didn't move me). This was loaded with ripe Meyer lemon notes and florals, excellent structure (including zippy acidity), and a long finish. I should add that this was very energetic and fresh, and I imagine has several years of upside. From Zalto Universals.
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It's been a while since I've had one of these and it was a great reminder of just how good these are. This was remarkably fresh, and certainly didn't come across as an eight year-old CA Chardonnay and probably drinks in a much more Burgundian style. There's a reductive note that adds a touch of smokiness throughout. The dominant feature of this wine is probably the high acid, which is supported by more mature fruit notes; underripe pineapple, meyer lemon, yellow apple, a light creaminess and slight vanilla from a very judicious use of oak and a seam of mineralogy that underpins the whole thing and really rises up on the finish. Extremely balanced wine. This drank really well straight after opening, but, given the intensity of the fruit and high acid, this should have a lot of good years left in it.
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This is our most aged Ceritas that we’ve ever had. Have only ever drank these one or two or three years from purchase.
Nose of apple, pineapple, citrus peel. On the palate, brightness leads the way. Citrus first, then balanced beautifully with sweeter flavors of pineapple and apple.
Compared to younger vintages I’ve tasted, this is slightly (but not much) less citrusy, slightly less intense, and slightly more rounded and deep. Really, it feels like this can go another 10 years and not lose a step at all.
Beautiful wine.
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12.9% ABV. Light yellow with a clear rim. Powerful notes of white flowers, beeswax, dried pineapple and Meyer lemon. Medium-bodied and quite minerally on the palate, with stone fruits, chalk and great cut on the long, resonant finish. Can be drunk now with lots of air, or held for further development. Another excellent Chardonnay from Ceritas! 94.
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Another great showing for this, although this bottle was not quite as dramatic as the last one and it may have suffered a bit in comparison to the Collier. Yellow fruits and minerals abound, but it shows less of that Heintz exoticism, again maybe because of the direct comparison to the Collier. Anyhow, Ceritas is tops for me.
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Golden yellow. Crisp and precise, with angular minerality. Zesty lemon and tangerine notes. A hint of vanilla oak on the finish. A really spectacular example of a California Chardonnay that ages gracefully. Terrific tonight.
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Nose: The nose is fresh and somewhat tropical with limes, white peaches, green apples, starfruit, pineapple, saline, and white florals. There is excellent depth with a real verve to it.
Taste: The feel is medium+ bodied with medium+ acidity. The feel is fresh, yet refined with white peaches, limes, green apples, pineapple, and saline notes.
Overall: This is drinking beautifully right now. It took about a half hour after opening to really sing, but it shows great freshness and with a hint of tropical fruit that is extremely refreshing.
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Maybe the best CA chardonnay I've had this year. There is a real sense of density and a spine of minerals to the wine that cleans and refreshes the palate and makes you thirst for more. Of the Ceritas chardonnays, this has the most exotic profile. A great blend of yellow fruits and minerals. This may continue to improve in the cellar but is in a great spot now.
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Friday Night Double Blind Tasting $60+ (Bin 75 Alpharetta, GA): Slight butter, mineral, candied green apple, lees, taut; fatter and richer on the palate, very French in style, high toned acid which seemed a little shrill when the wine was colder earlier; tasty, everyone in Chablis; this is probably an over-simplification but this seemed to be picked really early and then lees add richness and texture- still torn on exactly how I feel about this level of manipulation even though the wine was quite delicious; also not sure of the pronunciation of their label even though it is simply described on the label, not sure how these vowels make those sounds in Spanish, call me a cynic but is the whole thing a sham?
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West Sonoma Coast Tasting (Washington, DC): Great to see how this has aged, especially after tasting the newly-released 2016. This shows a lot of complexity, with almonds, honey and lemons on the nose. Precise, zesty, still so energetic and lively. Pretty lemon and apple fruit laced with almond, chalk dust, complex minerals. Gorgeous stuff, still plenty of time to go.
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I would have saved my last bottle, but my wife opened it before I could hide it in the cellar. Not much more to say that I haven't already. Just a fantastic chard. Lemon oil, acid spine, but with corners starting to round out. This is in the zone now, but should continue to age very well for several more years. Great wine.
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Wine with friends (at Lake Michigan) (Mike and Lori's (near Shelby MI)): Just not getting some of the rave reviews on this. I like lower alcohol and crisp Chards as well, but this seemed lack the body, stuffing and complexity. Maybe it needs time or air. It was very good for sure, but not at the top level some seem to find. At least not for me. Light golden in color. The nose has some lemon and a bit of red apple. Not much else going on. Light to medium body. Slightly oily. Some lemon and a bit of minerals. Plenty of acidity. The first glass was served a bit warm and then we chilled down the rest. It was a bit more refreshing but that's about it. Tried again after a couple of hours and nothing more to add. Again, its good, but seemed to be missing. Looking on CT there are reviews consistent like mine but without a score. I think, like me, some are wondering why they didn't have a better experience only they gave the wine the benefit of the doubt. Six of us shared this bottle and we all felt the same way.
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Vigorously decanted. Deep yellow, lemon oil on the nose, lemon tart with polished corners, and a thirty second finish. Just lovely and well worth the wait. Drinking well now, but this should show strong for several more years.
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Wonderful wine from a wonderful vineyard. Dark yellow with pungent lemon on the nose. Some viscosity, with waves of mouth-coating citrus and a long persistent finish. Any previous angles have been softened five years from vintage. Beautiful wine. Enjoy now or hold. Enough acid and fruit in balance that it should last several more years.
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Very nice and well integrated. Fresh with lemon and citrus and a nice zip on the finish. Precise but not too angular. Drinking well now but this should last several more years.
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Needs a bit of air. Pineapple, melon. Rich but taut also. Grapefruit. Bitter finish. Promising but needs more time to integrate.
Opened another bottle a month later. Similar notes, but more rich and open. Wonderful flavors and just hard to stop drinking this. Only have three bottles left and I promise myself I will not drink them soon. This wine is great now, but has time ahead and will get even better.
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youthful fruit flavors of green apple, pink grapefruit, lime zest, papaya. some minerality. well balanced. medium(+) acidity keeps this fresh. finish a bit short and acidic.
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We really have enjoyed the 2010 and 2011 Ceritas Porter Bass Chardonnays so we wanted try our first bottle of the 2012 Heintz chardonnay. Very little bouquet even after 2 hours, there is apple/pear fruit aromas detectable as well as fruit on the palate. Overall it seems quite closed still so we will wait another year or two before trying another bottle. Great style though.
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Lovely wine with great balance of fruit and acidity. Delicate, clean. Something between a chablis and a puligny; no evident oak. Not as minerally as a burgundy. Perhaps the acidity is slightly too much -- a wine where you notice the acidity on the second glass.
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PnP with notes of lemon, green apple, lavender, granite, flint, and seashell.
An extremely delicate Chardonnay, and not a lot of the richness and deeper fruit flavors that often accompany the Heintz site. Relatively thin on the finish, where the low acidity and low alcohol make for a wine longing for a little more structure and backbone.
Gained some points for pairing well with a rich clam chowder (which was much in need of a more mineral-laced Chardonnay such as this Ceritas). 89-90 points, with little potential upside for the future unfortunately, as I don't see this wine's hollowness having the stuffing to fill in the missing core.
Drink now and over the next couple of years.
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Very delicate nose—some floral, maybe jasmine, maybe orange blossom, some light fruit, maybe green apple. On introduction I get the green apple hint—tart but subtle. A very deft hand with the oak. Not a buttery California Chardonnay. More like an Old-World Chablis.
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Consistent with previous bottle. Beautiful balance between acidity, fruit, minerality and a very deft use of oak. Long finish and pretty seamless overall.
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Chardonnay Dinner at PDH (PDH): A little closed on the nose at first, shows nice lemon and peach fruit, medium bodied wtih good acid and very nice intense chalkiness, with just a hint of oak on the finish. This has a very nice fruit/acid/mineral balance and it's complete through the midpalate, very nice wine. I especially like the chalkiness. Just slightly behind the Rhys Alpine tonight, lacking its depth of midpalate material.
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Pale yellow color. Nose of lemon zest, crushed rocks, apple. Not overly aromatic but the wine delivered on the palate with flavors of tart apple, citrus, minerality and salinity on the back end. Zippy acid with a really nice finish that was both round and slightly tart. Paired great with homemade crab cakes with fresh lemon.
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This is really quite nice. Has a slight roundness to the palate and ripeness to the fruit, but no tropical notes nor hint of overripness--just a soft texture with plenty of cut, even with a little lemon zest. Finishes light and steely.
Same bottle 3wks later. Just great nuanced wine that goes perfect with seafood. Bumped a point.
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Wow, oozes flavor from every pore, with rich yellow stone fruits, good acidity, a long, lasting finish, with nice hints of stony minerality. Not a trace of oak, or anything overripe, just brilliantly flavorful and mouthwateringly good.
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Felt like a different wine, lots of oaky Apple, pear drop notes on the nose, palate is rich opulent with a similar profile, doesn't come across as fresh or intense as previous experiences
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Didn't take any notes, but this was positively brilliant! Beautifully focused and pure, deliciously penetrating white fruit with just a touch of citrus, pinpoint balance. It was a big hit at the dinner table.
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This did seem to fluctuate over the course of the evening. Floral nose, and thin palate to start but the palate bulked up over the course of several hours, the acidity gave wonderful structure throughout, Hint of oak that seemed integrated to me. This wine will only grow with age. Very enjoyable
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Very California (At least thats what my note says), but I wonder if I some how got this mixed up or was poured something else as this was at a very large tasting event and that statement doesnt seem consistent with reviews, or other ceritas chards that I have had.
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This is going to be controversial, in that my view on this wine is about 180 degrees out of step with most folks. I do enjoy Ceritas wines, and I have been a fan of the Porter Bass and Peter Martin Ray Chardonnays (not to mention the couple of Pinot Noirs I have tried), but I could not get my arms around this one to find enjoyment. I followed it over several hours (yes - I kept giving it chances), and each sip seemed disjointed, oaky, harshly acidic, and at the same time creamy and almost cloyingly sweet. The wine was all over the place, and just plain grumpy. I guess I will say judgement reserved, as this showing makes no sense to me in the context of what others (including some palates I trust) have found but I really did not like this one bit.
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This one offered notes of fresh pear, lemon, mineral and saline with a long saline-laced finish and terrific acidic cut. No oak intrusion was present, though shows a touch of spice with extended air time. Brilliant wine.
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Delicious, pure, and fresh. Sharply mineral and a bit saline, yet still a fair amount of lighter citrusy fruit and certain elegance on the palate. Like all of Ceritas' 2012 Chards, this wine resonates.
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Marc and MJ's - another nice evening of wine and food (Bellingham, WA): An enjoyable bottle that showed well tonight. Dynamic citrus tones that seemed to jump from the glass. Some air time and warming in the glass developed some pleasing baked Granny Smith tart components and other tertiary chromatic elements. Well crafted.
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Notes of sea breeze, lemon drop and some rock, palate has a nice elegant intensity and fruit profile with hints of oak, medium plus acidity and a finish which lingers on and on
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4th Saturday Group brown bagger (M/M thelostverse): Bright yellow color with notes of lemon, minerals and buttercream frosting. Bright acidity with flavors of lemon and minerals. Hints of apple and no toasted oak tones. Long finish. Delicious stuff. The only guess was which vineyard TLV opened. Most tasters guessed Burgundy.
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1.5 glasses from Coravin. After having the PMR a few weeks ago, consuming this bottle was a good reminder why I continue to be a Ceritas fan.
Excellent citrus and saline components supported by ample acidity that should make this a nice candidate for medium-term cellaring. The finish was spectacular and could accompany an array of seafood and pasta dishes.
I think the only thing that was slightly distracting at this stage was the oak component that added a slight sweetness. It was not off putting but it was noticeable. I look forward to checking back in on the bottle in a few week´s time as well as the next bottle in 12 months, as I could see this going 2+ points higher once the oak integrates further.
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I am not a huge Cali Chardonnay fan, as most Cali Chards have much too much oak and butter flavors. This Ceritas is much different and drinks more like a Chablis than a Cali Chard. It is extremely acidic (almost punishingly so) and has flavors of lemon, wet stone, and slat. I liked this a lot, but it did have a bit too much acidity, which made it a bit un-balanced in the end. Still really good.
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Dan's Birthday (Keens Steakhouse): Quite oaky on the nose, with a lot of sweet, creamy vanilla and only a little yellow fruit. It's not sweet in the mouth because the acidity is good, but there's not much fruit and it's strangely dilute, and it's a terrible match with oysters. A couple hours later the last pour from the bottle is much better, showing more concentrated spicy pear and a nice mineral crackle, but it's still nothing especially remarkable and I don't quite get all the hype here.
Thomas (and Charlie) Comes to Town (RPM Italian - Chicago, IL): Super bottle. Lots of wet slate, lemons, and pears. Uber fresh with layers of florals and citrus tones on the palate...just a gorgeous wine. Clearly, Ceritas makes the finest chardonnays in the USA.
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Seems to be a big change since my last experience, this wine pumped lots of lemon, pear candy, salty wet rock which I could smell forever, palate is a generous mix of fruit and crisp acidity and what a finish!
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Dinner at Pasti's with Seaquam and Steve8 and spouses and our kids. Beautiful consistent notes as prior bottles - a perfect match with the halibut. Love this stuff.
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I didn't take my own advice...but I gave this one a lot more air. Had one glass, then the rest of the bottle on day 2. The lemons and limes were really bursting this time and the acidity was still razor sharp. Very delicious with a lot of upside.
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Ceritas (At the winery): Fine, elegant, citrusy, fresh but with a little body to it and deeply enjoyable. One of the very best chardonnays I tried on this trip, up there with Littorai.
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Gorgeous nose of lemon, lime and candied citrus rind. This vineyard sings! Excellent balance, delicious lightly sweet citrus flavors throughout, and nice long finish. Blind, you never guess California. Certainly worth the tariff.
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Hints of sea fog, pear drops and lemon notes but really faint and subtle, quite subtle on the tongue too with the usual crisp acidity and mouth watering finish
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Second Sunday Group: 2001 CA cabs (Anvil Club): Decanted. Notes of pear, vanilla, tropical fruits, minerals and smoke. Flavors of vanilla and orchard fruit, mineral and stone. Good fruit and acid; balanced; lovely. 93+ pts.
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I was curious about this, but in retrospect, shouldn't have opened it. Just so tight and young at this point, it wasn't really giving off much. It definitely have that cool-fruit profile that Ceritas' chards have and the minerality was there...but the flavors were very one-dimensional at this point. I'd hold off drinking these for a while.
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Sunday Funday (Chicago, IL): Killing a baby. But it's so delicious... this is exactly what you want from an American chardonnay. It had plenty of tart acidity but a warmth and richness that Burgundy just can't (and shouldn't) offer. I detected a gentle bit of oak use, which was very pleasant in coordination with lovely citrus flavours.
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Tasting with Phoebe Bass & Ceritas Wines (Santa Rosa): Bright yellow with a green tint. Aromas of lemon blossoms, apple, wet stones, lemon cream and white peach. Minerals abound on the palate, with orchard fruit and citrus nuances in the background. Terrific finish. All their whites are aged in neutral French oak. An impressive start to the tasting. 93-94 pts.
West of West Wine Festival (City Winery, Chicago, IL): Best white of the day. Outstanding presence in the glass. Aromatics were soaring and this was just THE Burgundy lover's Sonoma Chardonnay. So much lime stone. Lemon tart, lime zest, honey dew. Citrus flavors galore. The mineral elements are present and the mid palate is unusually rich while the finish is acidic and buoyant. Awesome. Get this.
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Ceritas open house tasting (Ceritas facility, Santa Rosa): From sandy loam soils above Occidental less than six miles from the ocean. Organically farmed 35 year old vines. This was described as having seen neutral barrels yet I thought I detected a somewhat assertive level of oak in the aromas and flavors.
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2/7/2024 - Mark1npt Likes this wine: 90 Points
Blind....light straw color in the glass. Sweet nose with white flowers. For some reason I seemed to be one of the few who appreciated the grapefruit on the palate that went on throughout. However, to me it seems to lack a bit of acidity and seems a tad flat. Maybe a product of airtime? I don't know. 89-90 for me.
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6/20/2023 - SoundinBetween wrote:
Could have easily been blinded on this to arrive at Meursault with moderate age - flinty, mineral-driven aromas with abundant spice develop over several hours open, the palate is lush with crisp acidity & still full of orchard fruit (pear/green apple) and citrus, also giving a mineral-laden finish of moderate length. More body and fuller palate presence than other '12's opened over the past few months from the same group. Close to peak maturity but still holding very well, excellent bottle.
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8/23/2022 - jjct wrote:
Compared to other Ceritas chardonnays, this does not have the same tension and vibrancy - the fruit feels broad, ripe, ponderous. Compared to most other chardonnays, this has great acidity with some nice minerality, and is drinking well.
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5/28/2022 - nphase wrote:
advanced.
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9/19/2021 - Bakerbd Likes this wine: 91 Points
Meyer lemon, chalk, bright acidity
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8/21/2021 - xwine wrote:
No notes taken, but this was lovely. Minerals, excellent acidity, went down way too easily.
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4/17/2021 - KeithAkers wrote: 93 Points
a Small Ceritas Heintz Chardonnay Vertical (chicago, IL): Though this was given about two hours of air, it was pretty giving right away and stayed that way providing fresh and balanced tones of ginger, limes, lemon peels, stone fruits, peaches, white fruits, acacia flowers, pears, mineral notes, and some saline. Though it has taken on some maturity, there is a lot of freshness and vibrancy without showing more honeyed tones. The Medium bodied feel is balanced and lithe with tart, medium+ acidity. I wondered what one of these with something approaching age would taste like and this is really damned good! It has more smoothed out with the tones acting in perfect harmony rather than it taking on more oxidative and classic aging flavors. All of that may happen with more age, but this is extremely good right now and absolutely should be enjoyed.
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5/16/2020 - Michaelelmgreen Likes this wine: 95 Points
Drinking perfectly. Very complex on the nose and palate. On the nose rockmelon, pineapple and honeydew, saline salty sea air smell. On the palate, acid medium, creamy vanilla, lemon peel, saltiness. Insane clarity. The wine that started it all for me.
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5/4/2020 - acidqueen wrote: 93 Points
This is great right now. Creamy, citrusy, with plenty of acid zip but not in your face at all. You can drink this now with or without food, although some Brillât Savarin was the perfect complement.
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5/2/2020 - vulgar little monkey wrote: 93 Points
Beautiful bottle showing the exotic fruit notes from Heintz (sort of like a less wild Bongran) paired with a firm mineral spice and some secondary spice and floral complexity. Everything I'm trying from Ceritas these days I'm loving. Unfortunately this was my last bottle.
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3/24/2020 - xwine wrote:
Terrific wine, and much better than the 2011 version from a couple weeks ago (which was still pretty good, just didn't move me). This was loaded with ripe Meyer lemon notes and florals, excellent structure (including zippy acidity), and a long finish. I should add that this was very energetic and fresh, and I imagine has several years of upside. From Zalto Universals.
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3/6/2020 - Seafoam Manor wrote: 94 Points
It's been a while since I've had one of these and it was a great reminder of just how good these are. This was remarkably fresh, and certainly didn't come across as an eight year-old CA Chardonnay and probably drinks in a much more Burgundian style. There's a reductive note that adds a touch of smokiness throughout. The dominant feature of this wine is probably the high acid, which is supported by more mature fruit notes; underripe pineapple, meyer lemon, yellow apple, a light creaminess and slight vanilla from a very judicious use of oak and a seam of mineralogy that underpins the whole thing and really rises up on the finish. Extremely balanced wine. This drank really well straight after opening, but, given the intensity of the fruit and high acid, this should have a lot of good years left in it.
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2/1/2020 - WineGold wrote: 94 Points
This is our most aged Ceritas that we’ve ever had. Have only ever drank these one or two or three years from purchase.
Nose of apple, pineapple, citrus peel. On the palate, brightness leads the way. Citrus first, then balanced beautifully with sweeter flavors of pineapple and apple.
Compared to younger vintages I’ve tasted, this is slightly (but not much) less citrusy, slightly less intense, and slightly more rounded and deep. Really, it feels like this can go another 10 years and not lose a step at all.
Beautiful wine.
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11/3/2019 - Nutty08 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Aged well. Fine Clemson notes and acidity, with a chalky finish. Moderate length.
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4/23/2019 - Michaelelmgreen wrote: 91 Points
Fantastic nose, floral elements of elderflower, touch of vanilla and oak but ever so slight. Not as saline as other Ceritas we’ve drunk.
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3/14/2019 - J o e wrote: 94 Points
12.9% ABV. Light yellow with a clear rim. Powerful notes of white flowers, beeswax, dried pineapple and Meyer lemon. Medium-bodied and quite minerally on the palate, with stone fruits, chalk and great cut on the long, resonant finish. Can be drunk now with lots of air, or held for further development. Another excellent Chardonnay from Ceritas! 94.
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2/8/2019 - vulgar little monkey wrote: 92 Points
Another great showing for this, although this bottle was not quite as dramatic as the last one and it may have suffered a bit in comparison to the Collier. Yellow fruits and minerals abound, but it shows less of that Heintz exoticism, again maybe because of the direct comparison to the Collier. Anyhow, Ceritas is tops for me.
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1/31/2019 - mjf@ulkner wrote: 95 Points
Golden yellow. Crisp and precise, with angular minerality. Zesty lemon and tangerine notes. A hint of vanilla oak on the finish. A really spectacular example of a California Chardonnay that ages gracefully. Terrific tonight.
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1/25/2019 - KeithAkers wrote: 92 Points
Nose: The nose is fresh and somewhat tropical with limes, white peaches, green apples, starfruit, pineapple, saline, and white florals. There is excellent depth with a real verve to it.
Taste: The feel is medium+ bodied with medium+ acidity. The feel is fresh, yet refined with white peaches, limes, green apples, pineapple, and saline notes.
Overall: This is drinking beautifully right now. It took about a half hour after opening to really sing, but it shows great freshness and with a hint of tropical fruit that is extremely refreshing.
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12/5/2018 - vulgar little monkey wrote: 94 Points
Maybe the best CA chardonnay I've had this year. There is a real sense of density and a spine of minerals to the wine that cleans and refreshes the palate and makes you thirst for more. Of the Ceritas chardonnays, this has the most exotic profile. A great blend of yellow fruits and minerals. This may continue to improve in the cellar but is in a great spot now.
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7/6/2018 - Schwarzer Hund wrote:
We have waited almost two years to taste another bottle of this chardonnay. Unfortunately it was corked. Will try again in a few weeks.
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5/4/2018 - Rezy13 Likes this wine:
Friday Night Double Blind Tasting $60+ (Bin 75 Alpharetta, GA): Slight butter, mineral, candied green apple, lees, taut; fatter and richer on the palate, very French in style, high toned acid which seemed a little shrill when the wine was colder earlier; tasty, everyone in Chablis; this is probably an over-simplification but this seemed to be picked really early and then lees add richness and texture- still torn on exactly how I feel about this level of manipulation even though the wine was quite delicious; also not sure of the pronunciation of their label even though it is simply described on the label, not sure how these vowels make those sounds in Spanish, call me a cynic but is the whole thing a sham?
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4/25/2018 - isaacjamesbaker wrote: 94 Points
West Sonoma Coast Tasting (Washington, DC): Great to see how this has aged, especially after tasting the newly-released 2016. This shows a lot of complexity, with almonds, honey and lemons on the nose. Precise, zesty, still so energetic and lively. Pretty lemon and apple fruit laced with almond, chalk dust, complex minerals. Gorgeous stuff, still plenty of time to go.
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11/1/2017 - BigTex22 Likes this wine: 94 Points
I would have saved my last bottle, but my wife opened it before I could hide it in the cellar. Not much more to say that I haven't already. Just a fantastic chard. Lemon oil, acid spine, but with corners starting to round out. This is in the zone now, but should continue to age very well for several more years. Great wine.
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10/9/2017 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 88 Points
Wine with friends (at Lake Michigan) (Mike and Lori's (near Shelby MI)): Just not getting some of the rave reviews on this. I like lower alcohol and crisp Chards as well, but this seemed lack the body, stuffing and complexity. Maybe it needs time or air. It was very good for sure, but not at the top level some seem to find. At least not for me. Light golden in color. The nose has some lemon and a bit of red apple. Not much else going on. Light to medium body. Slightly oily. Some lemon and a bit of minerals. Plenty of acidity. The first glass was served a bit warm and then we chilled down the rest. It was a bit more refreshing but that's about it. Tried again after a couple of hours and nothing more to add. Again, its good, but seemed to be missing. Looking on CT there are reviews consistent like mine but without a score. I think, like me, some are wondering why they didn't have a better experience only they gave the wine the benefit of the doubt. Six of us shared this bottle and we all felt the same way.
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9/15/2017 - BigTex22 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Vigorously decanted. Deep yellow, lemon oil on the nose, lemon tart with polished corners, and a thirty second finish. Just lovely and well worth the wait. Drinking well now, but this should show strong for several more years.
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8/18/2017 - BigTex22 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Wonderful wine from a wonderful vineyard. Dark yellow with pungent lemon on the nose. Some viscosity, with waves of mouth-coating citrus and a long persistent finish. Any previous angles have been softened five years from vintage. Beautiful wine. Enjoy now or hold. Enough acid and fruit in balance that it should last several more years.
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8/11/2017 - BigTex22 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very nice and well integrated. Fresh with lemon and citrus and a nice zip on the finish. Precise but not too angular. Drinking well now but this should last several more years.
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6/17/2017 - ews3 wrote: 91 Points
drinking well. lots of apple and other orchard fruit. some apricot. balanced with fresh acidity. mineral on finish.
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6/11/2017 - Diane (LI) wrote:
I love these wines with some bottle age. This is razor sharp with plenty of citrus and pear. Perfect on this warm, sunny day.
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5/15/2017 - Grape_ape Likes this wine:
drinking extremely well right now
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2/6/2017 - acidqueen wrote: 93 Points
Needs a bit of air. Pineapple, melon. Rich but taut also. Grapefruit. Bitter finish. Promising but needs more time to integrate.
Opened another bottle a month later. Similar notes, but more rich and open. Wonderful flavors and just hard to stop drinking this. Only have three bottles left and I promise myself I will not drink them soon. This wine is great now, but has time ahead and will get even better.
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2/1/2017 - ews3 wrote: 90 Points
youthful fruit flavors of green apple, pink grapefruit, lime zest, papaya. some minerality. well balanced. medium(+) acidity keeps this fresh. finish a bit short and acidic.
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1/22/2017 - dougie Likes this wine: 93 Points
Love what they do with this vineyard! Wendi loved it.
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11/5/2016 - Schwarzer Hund wrote:
We really have enjoyed the 2010 and 2011 Ceritas Porter Bass Chardonnays so we wanted try our first bottle of the 2012 Heintz chardonnay. Very little bouquet even after 2 hours, there is apple/pear fruit aromas detectable as well as fruit on the palate. Overall it seems quite closed still so we will wait another year or two before trying another bottle. Great style though.
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10/25/2016 - Mike Dildine Likes this wine: 94 Points
12.9% abv. Light, energetic, long, deep, intense. Superior Chardonnay.
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8/26/2016 - ccn Likes this wine: 91 Points
Lovely wine with great balance of fruit and acidity. Delicate, clean. Something between a chablis and a puligny; no evident oak. Not as minerally as a burgundy. Perhaps the acidity is slightly too much -- a wine where you notice the acidity on the second glass.
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7/26/2016 - dougie Likes this wine: 92 Points
Perfect with salmon at La Gioconda in Soquel.
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6/15/2016 - Diane (LI) wrote:
Nicely balanced and exhibiting none of the heaviness associated with California Chardonnay. Warm, sunny weather calls for Ceritas Chardonnay.
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11/14/2015 - csimm wrote: 90 Points
PnP with notes of lemon, green apple, lavender, granite, flint, and seashell.
An extremely delicate Chardonnay, and not a lot of the richness and deeper fruit flavors that often accompany the Heintz site. Relatively thin on the finish, where the low acidity and low alcohol make for a wine longing for a little more structure and backbone.
Gained some points for pairing well with a rich clam chowder (which was much in need of a more mineral-laced Chardonnay such as this Ceritas). 89-90 points, with little potential upside for the future unfortunately, as I don't see this wine's hollowness having the stuffing to fill in the missing core.
Drink now and over the next couple of years.
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11/9/2015 - EMark Likes this wine:
Very delicate nose—some floral, maybe jasmine, maybe orange blossom, some light fruit, maybe green apple. On introduction I get the green apple hint—tart but subtle. A very deft hand with the oak. Not a buttery California Chardonnay. More like an Old-World Chablis.
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9/29/2015 - Rich S Likes this wine: 92 Points
Consistent with previous bottle. Beautiful balance between acidity, fruit, minerality and a very deft use of oak. Long finish and pretty seamless overall.
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9/29/2015 - coremill wrote: 90 Points
Chardonnay Dinner at PDH (PDH): A little closed on the nose at first, shows nice lemon and peach fruit, medium bodied wtih good acid and very nice intense chalkiness, with just a hint of oak on the finish. This has a very nice fruit/acid/mineral balance and it's complete through the midpalate, very nice wine. I especially like the chalkiness. Just slightly behind the Rhys Alpine tonight, lacking its depth of midpalate material.
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8/22/2015 - Rich S Likes this wine: 92 Points
Pale yellow color. Nose of lemon zest, crushed rocks, apple. Not overly aromatic but the wine delivered on the palate with flavors of tart apple, citrus, minerality and salinity on the back end. Zippy acid with a really nice finish that was both round and slightly tart. Paired great with homemade crab cakes with fresh lemon.
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7/31/2015 - Nutty08 wrote: 93 Points
This is really quite nice. Has a slight roundness to the palate and ripeness to the fruit, but no tropical notes nor hint of overripness--just a soft texture with plenty of cut, even with a little lemon zest. Finishes light and steely.
Same bottle 3wks later. Just great nuanced wine that goes perfect with seafood. Bumped a point.
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6/30/2015 - alanr wrote: 93 Points
Wow, oozes flavor from every pore, with rich yellow stone fruits, good acidity, a long, lasting finish, with nice hints of stony minerality. Not a trace of oak, or anything overripe, just brilliantly flavorful and mouthwateringly good.
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5/30/2015 - eoinhharkins wrote:
Felt like a different wine, lots of oaky Apple, pear drop notes on the nose, palate is rich opulent with a similar profile, doesn't come across as fresh or intense as previous experiences
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5/10/2015 - eoinhharkins Likes this wine:
Pears, wet stone fruit, lemons, some briny oak notes, similar palate with medium plus acidity and great length in the mouth
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4/5/2015 - xwine wrote:
Didn't take any notes, but this was positively brilliant! Beautifully focused and pure, deliciously penetrating white fruit with just a touch of citrus, pinpoint balance. It was a big hit at the dinner table.
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3/7/2015 - Bakerbd Likes this wine: 92 Points
White flowers, lemon zest, saline and mineral, med + acidity, med body, slight new oak.
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2/2/2015 - jimkay21 wrote: 92 Points
This did seem to fluctuate over the course of the evening. Floral nose, and thin palate to start but the palate bulked up over the course of several hours, the acidity gave wonderful structure throughout, Hint of oak that seemed integrated to me. This wine will only grow with age. Very enjoyable
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2/1/2015 - Vinophiliac559 wrote: 88 Points
Very California (At least thats what my note says), but I wonder if I some how got this mixed up or was poured something else as this was at a very large tasting event and that statement doesnt seem consistent with reviews, or other ceritas chards that I have had.
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1/29/2015 - Rieslingfan Does not like this wine:
This is going to be controversial, in that my view on this wine is about 180 degrees out of step with most folks. I do enjoy Ceritas wines, and I have been a fan of the Porter Bass and Peter Martin Ray Chardonnays (not to mention the couple of Pinot Noirs I have tried), but I could not get my arms around this one to find enjoyment. I followed it over several hours (yes - I kept giving it chances), and each sip seemed disjointed, oaky, harshly acidic, and at the same time creamy and almost cloyingly sweet. The wine was all over the place, and just plain grumpy. I guess I will say judgement reserved, as this showing makes no sense to me in the context of what others (including some palates I trust) have found but I really did not like this one bit.
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12/28/2014 - eoinhharkins wrote:
Consistent with previous experience
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11/23/2014 - wineaux2 Likes this wine: 94 Points
This one offered notes of fresh pear, lemon, mineral and saline with a long saline-laced finish and terrific acidic cut. No oak intrusion was present, though shows a touch of spice with extended air time. Brilliant wine.
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11/17/2014 - rm wines wrote:
Delicious, pure, and fresh. Sharply mineral and a bit saline, yet still a fair amount of lighter citrusy fruit and certain elegance on the palate. Like all of Ceritas' 2012 Chards, this wine resonates.
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11/14/2014 - Chaz Bham wrote: 91 Points
Marc and MJ's - another nice evening of wine and food (Bellingham, WA): An enjoyable bottle that showed well tonight. Dynamic citrus tones that seemed to jump from the glass. Some air time and warming in the glass developed some pleasing baked Granny Smith tart components and other tertiary chromatic elements. Well crafted.
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11/9/2014 - eoinhharkins Likes this wine:
Notes of sea breeze, lemon drop and some rock, palate has a nice elegant intensity and fruit profile with hints of oak, medium plus acidity and a finish which lingers on and on
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10/25/2014 - AllRed wrote: 93 Points
4th Saturday Group brown bagger (M/M thelostverse): Bright yellow color with notes of lemon, minerals and buttercream frosting. Bright acidity with flavors of lemon and minerals. Hints of apple and no toasted oak tones. Long finish. Delicious stuff. The only guess was which vineyard TLV opened. Most tasters guessed Burgundy.
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10/22/2014 - WG Johns@n Likes this wine: 92 Points
1.5 glasses from Coravin. After having the PMR a few weeks ago, consuming this bottle was a good reminder why I continue to be a Ceritas fan.
Excellent citrus and saline components supported by ample acidity that should make this a nice candidate for medium-term cellaring. The finish was spectacular and could accompany an array of seafood and pasta dishes.
I think the only thing that was slightly distracting at this stage was the oak component that added a slight sweetness. It was not off putting but it was noticeable. I look forward to checking back in on the bottle in a few week´s time as well as the next bottle in 12 months, as I could see this going 2+ points higher once the oak integrates further.
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10/18/2014 - Krugman wrote: 90 Points
I am not a huge Cali Chardonnay fan, as most Cali Chards have much too much oak and butter flavors. This Ceritas is much different and drinks more like a Chablis than a Cali Chard. It is extremely acidic (almost punishingly so) and has flavors of lemon, wet stone, and slat. I liked this a lot, but it did have a bit too much acidity, which made it a bit un-balanced in the end. Still really good.
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9/23/2014 - coremill wrote: 88 Points
Dan's Birthday (Keens Steakhouse): Quite oaky on the nose, with a lot of sweet, creamy vanilla and only a little yellow fruit. It's not sweet in the mouth because the acidity is good, but there's not much fruit and it's strangely dilute, and it's a terrible match with oysters. A couple hours later the last pour from the bottle is much better, showing more concentrated spicy pear and a nice mineral crackle, but it's still nothing especially remarkable and I don't quite get all the hype here.
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9/14/2014 - tooch wrote: 93 Points
Thomas (and Charlie) Comes to Town (RPM Italian - Chicago, IL): Super bottle. Lots of wet slate, lemons, and pears. Uber fresh with layers of florals and citrus tones on the palate...just a gorgeous wine. Clearly, Ceritas makes the finest chardonnays in the USA.
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9/13/2014 - TheWineDon wrote: 92 Points
Crisp and clean citrus. Very enjoyable on a hot, late summer day.
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8/31/2014 - eoinhharkins Likes this wine: 93 Points
Seems to be a big change since my last experience, this wine pumped lots of lemon, pear candy, salty wet rock which I could smell forever, palate is a generous mix of fruit and crisp acidity and what a finish!
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8/23/2014 - thelostverse wrote: 93 Points
Dinner at Pasti's with Seaquam and Steve8 and spouses and our kids. Beautiful consistent notes as prior bottles - a perfect match with the halibut. Love this stuff.
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8/23/2014 - tooch wrote: 91 Points
I didn't take my own advice...but I gave this one a lot more air. Had one glass, then the rest of the bottle on day 2. The lemons and limes were really bursting this time and the acidity was still razor sharp. Very delicious with a lot of upside.
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7/16/2014 - Omar Khayyam Likes this wine: 92 Points
Ceritas (At the winery): Fine, elegant, citrusy, fresh but with a little body to it and deeply enjoyable. One of the very best chardonnays I tried on this trip, up there with Littorai.
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7/9/2014 - Eric Anderson Likes this wine: 93 Points
Gorgeous nose of lemon, lime and candied citrus rind. This vineyard sings! Excellent balance, delicious lightly sweet citrus flavors throughout, and nice long finish. Blind, you never guess California. Certainly worth the tariff.
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7/2/2014 - eoinhharkins wrote:
Hints of sea fog, pear drops and lemon notes but really faint and subtle, quite subtle on the tongue too with the usual crisp acidity and mouth watering finish
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6/8/2014 - AllRed wrote: 93 Points
Second Sunday Group: 2001 CA cabs (Anvil Club): Decanted. Notes of pear, vanilla, tropical fruits, minerals and smoke. Flavors of vanilla and orchard fruit, mineral and stone. Good fruit and acid; balanced; lovely. 93+ pts.
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6/1/2014 - fine137 wrote: 90 Points
I just haven't been wowed by any of the Ceritas Chardonnays and I really expected to be.
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5/31/2014 - tooch wrote:
I was curious about this, but in retrospect, shouldn't have opened it. Just so tight and young at this point, it wasn't really giving off much. It definitely have that cool-fruit profile that Ceritas' chards have and the minerality was there...but the flavors were very one-dimensional at this point. I'd hold off drinking these for a while.
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5/25/2014 - acyso wrote: 90 Points
Sunday Funday (Chicago, IL): Killing a baby. But it's so delicious... this is exactly what you want from an American chardonnay. It had plenty of tart acidity but a warmth and richness that Burgundy just can't (and shouldn't) offer. I detected a gentle bit of oak use, which was very pleasant in coordination with lovely citrus flavours.
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5/10/2014 - AllRed wrote: 93 Points
Tasting with Phoebe Bass & Ceritas Wines (Santa Rosa): Bright yellow with a green tint. Aromas of lemon blossoms, apple, wet stones, lemon cream and white peach. Minerals abound on the palate, with orchard fruit and citrus nuances in the background. Terrific finish. All their whites are aged in neutral French oak. An impressive start to the tasting. 93-94 pts.
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5/10/2014 - thelostverse wrote: 93 Points
Tasted at the winery with Phoebe. Big fan of the salinity that I get in the Heintz as opposed to the PB. Similar notes as previous bottle.
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4/9/2014 - beezer6 wrote: 93 Points
West of West Wine Festival (City Winery, Chicago, IL): Best white of the day. Outstanding presence in the glass. Aromatics were soaring and this was just THE Burgundy lover's Sonoma Chardonnay.
So much lime stone. Lemon tart, lime zest, honey dew. Citrus flavors galore. The mineral elements are present and the mid palate is unusually rich while the finish is acidic and buoyant. Awesome. Get this.
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4/9/2014 - thelostverse wrote: 93 Points
West of West Chicago. Nice salinity and minerality with citrus notes. Preferred this over the Porter Bass poured alongside. Buy.
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4/5/2014 - slanum wrote:
Ceritas open house tasting (Ceritas facility, Santa Rosa): From sandy loam soils above Occidental less than six miles from the ocean. Organically farmed 35 year old vines. This was described as having seen neutral barrels yet I thought I detected a somewhat assertive level of oak in the aromas and flavors.
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