My third wine from this guy (after a Syrah and Pinot) and my third that was totally majestic and wonderful, at or on the cusp of perfection. As with the two reds, this showed an unreal and extremely rare combination of true exuberant power and truly intricate complexity. I think this was maybe the third best Chardonnay I've ever tasted when considering quality alone?- when QPR is taken into account, it's possibly at the top, or maybe silver medal.
This is what 95% of "buttery chard" wants to see when it looks in the mirror. Sure, it has a bit of the butter tone that seems forbidden to enjoy if you're a wannabe wine geek with toxic sommelier influences, but it's a part of a much larger picture. To sum it up, it has an effortless perfume and vibrant palate completely loaded with golden buttered toast, lemon zest, orange bitters, vanilla bean, almond pastry, peony, and some faint stony minerality...not a super flinty/minerally chard which I also love, but it's there...and although it's waxy and dense, it has more than enough fresh acidity to cut right through the creamy textures. It's "big" but not even close to overblown- just confident and expressive, and bullied a lot of really incredible (but also generally much younger) Chardonnays in the same price range for me.
Honestly, this feels like it could sleep even longer, and it continues to cement my belief that (quality) Chardonnay is the most important grape to age, even more than most quality reds.
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Slow-oxed for 45 minutes before service. In the glass, very clear pale-medium gold. On the nose, lemongrass and smoky oak. On the palate, a crisp attack with oranges and lemons, with abundant acidity, a backdrop of oak, and a tertiary note of clove all the way through a moderately long and biting finish. This skirts quite close to the edge of having a bit too much bite and acid, but as it is, it works.
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From the few bottles I have tasted, this maker's wines are really distinctive--hard to compare with anything else in my cellar. Bright light gold in color with citrus notes dominating the nose. Citrus and melon on the palate with plenty of acidity and for me, no noticeable oak. Long finish. Vineyard does make a difference as this was much better than the same vintage from either Sierra Madre or Duvarita (which was truly weird )
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Beautiful and eretheral Chardonnay with lovely citrus and complex layers of flavor and elegance. Pure without any obtrusive oak, rather a pristine journey with some high quality Pisoni fruit crafted into an outstanding example of what this varietal can offer. Nuanced and intricate and diverse. Salinity and minerality come through like wisps in the wind. Excellent.
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Chris in town for dinner with Johnny (bellyQ - Chicago): Rich and in your face in style. Yes, complex but just lots of fruit and a good dose of oak. Enjoyed the wine a lot and if you like culty California Chard, this will please you.
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Starting to like his Chards more than the Pinots. This is elegant and complex with a beautiful depth of flavor. It's got great structure without the heavy handedness of overdone oak. Just stellar! And to MSUWRIGHT (of whom I am a fan), haven't had any PM but I believe this is as good as any Kistler or Aubert (and, unfortunately, the price of the 2015 is inching closer to PM/Kistler/Aubert!).
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This stunning Chardonnay offers intense and layered fruit within an elegant package. Light yellow in color, full in body, nose of lemon, orange peel, and salt water. Tastes of grapefruit, green apple, meringue, and almond, with a finish that provides tartness, nuttiness, and minerality all in one. 14.8% alcohol. This wine has years ahead of it, and it is an impressive - and enjoyable - combination of power and grace. I'd put this down next to the finest from Kistler, Peter Michael, or Aubert; it might not win, but it would belong - it is that good.
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4/25/2024 - sid_loves_wine Likes this wine: 96 Points
My third wine from this guy (after a Syrah and Pinot) and my third that was totally majestic and wonderful, at or on the cusp of perfection. As with the two reds, this showed an unreal and extremely rare combination of true exuberant power and truly intricate complexity. I think this was maybe the third best Chardonnay I've ever tasted when considering quality alone?- when QPR is taken into account, it's possibly at the top, or maybe silver medal.
This is what 95% of "buttery chard" wants to see when it looks in the mirror. Sure, it has a bit of the butter tone that seems forbidden to enjoy if you're a wannabe wine geek with toxic sommelier influences, but it's a part of a much larger picture. To sum it up, it has an effortless perfume and vibrant palate completely loaded with golden buttered toast, lemon zest, orange bitters, vanilla bean, almond pastry, peony, and some faint stony minerality...not a super flinty/minerally chard which I also love, but it's there...and although it's waxy and dense, it has more than enough fresh acidity to cut right through the creamy textures. It's "big" but not even close to overblown- just confident and expressive, and bullied a lot of really incredible (but also generally much younger) Chardonnays in the same price range for me.
Honestly, this feels like it could sleep even longer, and it continues to cement my belief that (quality) Chardonnay is the most important grape to age, even more than most quality reds.
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12/21/2020 - mpdonnel Likes this wine: 94 Points
Phenomenal showing. These are in a perfect place with 6-8 years of age.
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12/19/2020 - jshufelt wrote: 93 Points
Slow-oxed for 45 minutes before service. In the glass, very clear pale-medium gold. On the nose, lemongrass and smoky oak. On the palate, a crisp attack with oranges and lemons, with abundant acidity, a backdrop of oak, and a tertiary note of clove all the way through a moderately long and biting finish. This skirts quite close to the edge of having a bit too much bite and acid, but as it is, it works.
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9/28/2019 - jbro wrote: 93 Points
From the few bottles I have tasted, this maker's wines are really distinctive--hard to compare with anything else in my cellar. Bright light gold in color with citrus notes dominating the nose. Citrus and melon on the palate with plenty of acidity and for me, no noticeable oak. Long finish. Vineyard does make a difference as this was much better than the same vintage from either Sierra Madre or Duvarita (which was truly weird )
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4/19/2018 - CRUSHER Likes this wine: 96 Points
awesome chard, greater acidity and balance, dominant notes of lemon and lemon rind, loved it
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3/9/2018 - air guitar & pinot noir Likes this wine: 94 Points
Beautiful and eretheral Chardonnay with lovely citrus and complex layers of flavor and elegance. Pure without any obtrusive oak, rather a pristine journey with some high quality Pisoni fruit crafted into an outstanding example of what this varietal can offer. Nuanced and intricate and diverse. Salinity and minerality come through like wisps in the wind. Excellent.
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11/11/2017 - beezer6 wrote: 94 Points
Chris in town for dinner with Johnny (bellyQ - Chicago): Rich and in your face in style. Yes, complex but just lots of fruit and a good dose of oak. Enjoyed the wine a lot and if you like culty California Chard, this will please you.
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5/2/2017 - ozziewine Likes this wine: 98 Points
Starting to like his Chards more than the Pinots.
This is elegant and complex with a beautiful depth of flavor. It's got great structure without the heavy handedness of overdone oak. Just stellar!
And to MSUWRIGHT (of whom I am a fan), haven't had any PM but I believe this is as good as any Kistler or Aubert (and, unfortunately, the price of the 2015 is inching closer to PM/Kistler/Aubert!).
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3/20/2017 - msuwine Likes this wine: 95 Points
This stunning Chardonnay offers intense and layered fruit within an elegant package. Light yellow in color, full in body, nose of lemon, orange peel, and salt water. Tastes of grapefruit, green apple, meringue, and almond, with a finish that provides tartness, nuttiness, and minerality all in one. 14.8% alcohol. This wine has years ahead of it, and it is an impressive - and enjoyable - combination of power and grace. I'd put this down next to the finest from Kistler, Peter Michael, or Aubert; it might not win, but it would belong - it is that good.
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9/18/2016 - Stumpy wrote: 94 Points
My gosh, what a great wine. Light on its feet and full of verve. Glad I have more.
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8/10/2016 - mactheknife wrote: 93 Points
Ditto! Beautiful balance; acidity, fruit, and a hint of oak.
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5/8/2016 - bambam Likes this wine: 94 Points
Really lovely nose of acacia flowers and faint oak. Balance is great with some melon notes. Like it!
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