Bright clear gold Bright pineapple and golden apple flavors with a hint of wood and enough mouthwatering acidity. This particular bottle does have some heat (14.3) poking through, so I would likely drink sooner rather than later. (But this actually continues to improve with air)
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Opened in Hong Kong. Slow-oxed for a while before being tasted blind.
Absolutely gorgeous Marcassin, with notes of sweetcorn and caramel and tropical fruits such as mangos, pienapples and apricots. Going down very smoothly and the high alcohol was masked perfectly. If I were to nitpick, I would have wanted a tad more acidity and it wasn't the most complex wine - but this was wonderful and I really enjoyed it. My white WOTN for the dinner.
I don't think this will get much better unfortunately, so don't hesitate to drink up if you have some on hand!
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Very nice wine but not at the typical level of this winery. Viscous feel. Some beautiful yellow fruit on the nose. Palate is missing some fruit depth. Drink soon. (91)
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initially the nose was very caramelized, with big pineapple notes like the filling of Taiwanese pineapple cake. Changed drastically 15 minutes later and showed lots of buttery notes, and definitely got better with aeration.
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A big hunky bottle of California Chardonnay. An excellent wine but clearly outclassed by the ‘07 Marcassin Vineyard. The fruit and glycerin is impressive and the wood is just a touch too prominent. While the Marcassin Vineyard marries the elevage to perfection, this bottle tips just a touch heavy handed. Still, this is nitpicking. I adore this wine and think this team makes the best Chardonnay not made in Burgundy. (93)
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Still drinking well but showing signs it’s time to drink up. My last bottle. Yellow golden color, hints of tropical fruit and vanilla on the nose. Not oaky as others mentioned. Minerality present with vanilla, caramel hints along with green apple, pineapple and a smooth medium finish.
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Blind: Blake nailed this one. I guessed Rhys Chardonnay that had seen 200% new oak. I know that doesn't exist but that's what it tasted like.
I know people like this style but there's zero chance but this will ever integrate because the wood is so dominant, it's in your face and it doesn't let up. Fascinating green hue in the glass, I'm wondering if it picked that up with age or was it bottled like that. It's a shame from my perspective because the basic fruit is very nice and has a nice glycerin texture with a flinty gunpowder aroma. For me I wish they would have just backed off the oak.
There was a half a bottle left over, kind of says it all in this crowd.
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Wines Done Blind: I poured this blind, next to the Rhys 2017 Horseshoe Chard. The contrast was stark, as the Rhys seemed to receive the most positive praise, head and shoulders above. For my POV on the Marcassin, I simply found it too oaky. So much so that I am not sure how this wine can be enjoyed. The color is a bit golden, with a lot of toast both in the aroma and palate. It's just off-putting. As I think about the palate, this is so much better and satisfying, with yellow apple and good tension, with some additional lemon. I wonder then what this wine would be like if the oak was far less and the fruit was allowed to shine through. As a postscript, I tasted another bottle back in 2015 and my note says essentially the same thing so if we think that 5 years could even tame the oak from that point to now, I just don't see the oak changing nor going away.
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Golden yellow. Ripe tropical fruit. Seems a bit less oaked than the Estate wine. Smooth and well behaved on the finish. Terrific example of how California Chardonnay can positively age.
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Light yellow gold in color. Intriguing nose of caramel, vanilla, and almond paste. Rich and creamy, mango, papaya , creme brûlée , crisp apple, and lemon tart. Absolutely marvelous finish. Wow! Awesome ! My last bottle. Still consistent profile for me compared to several years ago. Remarkable for 13 year old California Chardonnay.
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Dinner at Canlis with Yumiko, Rick and Debbie. I have to start by saying that Cali chards aren't normally in my wheelhouse. Give ma a good Grand Cru Chablis any day. Having said that, this was delicious. Complex, even subtle with fantastic depth. Still a tad rich (for me) but an extremely well made wine. Paired well with geoduck miso soup
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PnP at just below cellar temp. The color (golden amber), as well as the taste show this to be a fully mature, slightly oxidized chardonnay. This medium+ bodied wine yields up ripe yellow apple and a touch of hazelnut. The acidity is very well balanced and although there are notes of caramel, the oak is well integrated. Drink up and enjoy soon.
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Very nice and drinking quite well, but perhaps just past peak. Quite rich and large scale with a velvety feel. Long oily and very slight hazelnut. Drink up and enjoy.
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Stunning wine. Clearly mature. Golden color, slightly oxidized. Apple, pineapple, and hazelnut. A Californian emulation of white Burgundy. As delicious as this is, my manta of younger is always better still applies to my tastes in Chard.
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Golden amber in color. Elegant, golden delicious apples, caramel, grilled pineapple, this is well balanced with toned down acidity, and finishes with more caramel , vanilla and butterscotch notes. I did decant it and let it warm to cellar temperature . Drinking well now.
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PnP. Medium gold. This is quite tight initially and on the palate has an intense saline quality with tons of dry extract; quite unforgiving. After 30 minutes or so and at somewhat cooler temperature, this transforms into a spectacularly balanced wine, butterscotch and some tropical characteristics on the nose, and a long and lovely finish with sufficient acid to make the experience ethereal. This doesn't have the depth and unctuous quality of the Marcassin Vineyard Chard, but is more typique for great Chardonnay from anywhere. Last bottle - will enjoy the rest tomorrow with friends. Still a Wow Wine. Went beautifully with grilled octopus and swordfish.
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Scott's Wine dinner at Honeysuckle, a bit of everything! (Honeysuckle, Washington DC): Classic oak driven California Chardonnay with good balance. Youthful nose displaying banana, lemon curd, apple, crème brulee and oyster shell. Excellent concentration, medium acidity, good mineral presence and long sweet finish. This seems to show a bit more oak than the 07 Marcassin vineyard. Definitely taste very high end California. Surprisingly fresh.
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At Ai Fiori in NYC with Paul + entourage..first white after sitting down to dinner. Slightly chilled and given a splash decant...
Light yellow/straw color. White burg nose of citrus, lemon oil, crushed stones, floral/perfumed. Full and rounded palate with citrus profile repeating, orchard fruits, caramel, ocean/oyster shell. Would describe the palate as "fat" but not overdone. Vanilla oak on mid/back palate balanced with nice acidity.
Simply gorgeous wine...great combination of Burgundian style with CA fruit. SHould drink well for another 5-7 years
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My last bottle of this beauty showed an appealing vanilla, citrus, floral and honeysuckle nose. The wine balanced fatness along with freshness, ending with sweet, ripe, citrus peel and white peach notes in the lush, fresh finish. This is drinking great now and should here for at least another 3-5 years.
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Brought to dinner by our neighbor. Still excellent after eight years. French style, mineral nose with good varietal aromas, some peaches. Viscous, medium-full bodied, excellent fruit flavors, some crisp acidity to follow. Long aftertaste. It hasn't lost anything but I doubt there will be anything more to be gained by waiting.
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A friend of mine was kind enough to share this with table. I really try not to judge the label when I see it, to keep my perspective open about this wine, the winery....but, each time I have it, I am left with an impression that the wine is of high quality and some great flavors, but IMO and for my palate, the wines are dressed up with too much oak. I mean, the lemon flavor in this wine was intense and beautiful but it's cloaked with toasted, vanilla oak. And this is an 07, which is what now, 3 releases old, and the wine was made more than 5 years ago and it still tastes like a wood barrel. I know many like this producer, I just can't get past the wood they force onto these wines.
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TN: Rhone dinner (The Grill Room at Capella Hotel Georgetown): This bottle seemed a bit tired. I also thought it was slightly corked but the opinions were split 50/50. Yellow caramel, oyster shell, burnt sugar and mineral. Very good concentration and good overall balance.
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A medium straw color. Aromas of lemon, mineral, vanilla and flowers. Think the wine is too cool because the nose wasn't giving up a lot. The palate is a different story with flavors of lemon pie, vanilla, papaya, star fruit and mineral. Ends with a lemon tinged finish that last about 25-30 seconds. Very nice wine but I think my expectations were kind of high.
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Lovely wine as always from Marcassin's Three Sisters Vineyard. The wine continued to evolve in the glass and would benefit from a 1 hour decant, likely. The nose opened up to express asian pear, honey blossom with a hint of toasted marshmallow. Nice round palate. Lean finish. Not as full mouth feel as the typical Marcassin vineyard wines.
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Gold color. Aromas of butterscotch, butter, pear, something tropical, minerality. On the palate, wonderful texture, full bodied, chewy minerality & salinity, long finish. Starts off a tad flabby, but the acidity is there on the finish. Far different from any Chard I've had before. Very hard to put down. Definitely needs to approach room temperature and get at least 30 minutes of air in the glass.
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Popped and poured. Medium gold with greenish highlights. This has a highly unusual nose of spice, may be licorice, and strange tropical fruits - not at all unpleasant just different. Great depth on the palate with a quality of drinking "liquid stones"; finish goes on and on with an almost tannic quality to it as if it is etched into the wine. A Wow wine.
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A beautiful chard that is definitely in it's prime. Everyone loved it even those who don't usually appreciate white wine. Happy to have a few left in the cellar.
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Very nice, enjoyed about as much as the last one a few months back. Golden hue, with lemon notes, pear, stone like minerality and a bit of oak. Will only get better.
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Butter and honeysuckle galore. A bit wilder than the more refined Marcassin Vineyard, but in a completey enjoyable way. My only regret is that this was my last bottle.
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Very nice effort here. Would say this has a long life yet to go. I will try my last bottle in maybe 5 years. These are big, Cali Chards with the craftsmanship to age. Not as nuanced at the Marcassin Vineyard but this is fabulous wine - light, crisp and refreshing yet big and bold at the same time. Not an easy feat.
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This wine took about 2 hours in the glass to open up and smooth out. It may need several years to integrate and develop. I have another bottle so I'll let it sit for a while and try again.
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Finally a marcassin chard that I liked as much as I hoped to. Perhaps I usually have well too young. This one was still a baby, but evolved wonderfully over a couple hours. Oak was there, but only supporting. Lemon, marshmallow and what I think of as rocky minerality was there with good acidity. Really, really good.
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Popped and poured after chilling from cellar temperature. Although this had been stood up for a couple of days, still slightly hazy light greenish gold. A very cool nose with some hints of tropical fruit and a touch of spice but rather restrained. On the palate this has superlative balance with an oily quality paired with lovely intensity and a spicy finish. Perhaps not as intense as the Marcassin vineyard but a great wine. Imagine this will live a long time as well.
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Voluptuous, ripe but not over the top, and not much oak treatment. Overall, a terrific California Chardonnay with enough minerality and acidity to merit at least a few years of aging.
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If this was not compared against the completely off the charts Marcassin, Marcassin from the same vintage, this could have been mind blowing with its fresh lemon, lime, honey uckle, butterscotch and mineral notes. Full bodied and concentrated with layers of polished, ripe, soft, citrus, apples, pears, spice and vanilla, this is a great example of California Chardonnay at its best
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Just a bit out of balance right now, with a little too much oak and butterscotch at the outset. Decanted for two hours and it still was just hitting its stride by the end of the evening. I rated higher than a 2002 Judge that we tasted a week ago, but the other taster preferred the Judge. I think five years in the bottle will move this score even higher.
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Not rated -- served too cold. Lots of oak and quite ripe on the nose. Simple on the palate. Could have used a decant and certainly needed to warm up. Too bad. Look forward to the next one.
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Wow wow wow. This wine was so tight when we opened it -- suggest you decant for 2 hours before drinking. The structure was exquisite, the color light yellow straw, and the fruit was luscious. Clearly a California Chardonnay -- too much fruit for a Burgundy -- but a great balance of acid, fruit, and tannins. I think it would last for another 10-20 years...but that was the second of our two bottles. ;-)
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Gorgeous and pure Chardonnay...color is a pale yellow, with the body rich, but taught. Some popcorn flavors, but nice minerality and stone fruit character. Faint touches of honey and smokey oak, but overall very reserved. My guess is that this will come together over time, with more carmelly, sweet nuances coming out. Very much similar to a great burgundy from a ripe vintage.
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Slightly less complex than the Marcassin Vineyard (lacked the minerality), but excellent nevertheless. This improved substantially with air and I poured the last couple of glasses through the Vinturi. Should improve with age. 93+
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Huge butterscotch and white smoke on the nose. Palate is extracted with passion fruit, orange peal and salty bluestone. This is very good and what I imagine what would be produced if a grand cry burgundy produce made wine in Cali.
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11/23/2023 - cos65 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Bright clear gold
Bright pineapple and golden apple flavors with a hint of wood and enough mouthwatering acidity.
This particular bottle does have some heat (14.3) poking through, so I would likely drink sooner rather than later. (But this actually continues to improve with air)
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8/29/2023 - oxwombat Likes this wine: 93 Points
Opened in Hong Kong. Slow-oxed for a while before being tasted blind.
Absolutely gorgeous Marcassin, with notes of sweetcorn and caramel and tropical fruits such as mangos, pienapples and apricots. Going down very smoothly and the high alcohol was masked perfectly. If I were to nitpick, I would have wanted a tad more acidity and it wasn't the most complex wine - but this was wonderful and I really enjoyed it. My white WOTN for the dinner.
I don't think this will get much better unfortunately, so don't hesitate to drink up if you have some on hand!
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5/7/2022 - dbkitc wrote: 91 Points
Very nice wine but not at the typical level of this winery. Viscous feel. Some beautiful yellow fruit on the nose. Palate is missing some fruit depth. Drink soon. (91)
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12/8/2021 - Peech Likes this wine: 93 Points
initially the nose was very caramelized, with big pineapple notes like the filling of Taiwanese pineapple cake. Changed drastically 15 minutes later and showed lots of buttery notes, and definitely got better with aeration.
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7/29/2021 - dbkitc wrote: 93 Points
A big hunky bottle of California Chardonnay. An excellent wine but clearly outclassed by the ‘07 Marcassin Vineyard. The fruit and glycerin is impressive and the wood is just a touch too prominent. While the Marcassin Vineyard marries the elevage to perfection, this bottle tips just a touch heavy handed. Still, this is nitpicking. I adore this wine and think this team makes the best Chardonnay not made in Burgundy. (93)
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2/13/2021 - tgkswine Likes this wine: 94 Points
Still drinking well but showing signs it’s time to drink up. My last bottle. Yellow golden color, hints of tropical fruit and vanilla on the nose.
Not oaky as others mentioned. Minerality present with vanilla, caramel hints along with green apple, pineapple and a smooth medium finish.
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6/15/2020 - brigcampbell wrote:
Blind: Blake nailed this one. I guessed Rhys Chardonnay that had seen 200% new oak. I know that doesn't exist but that's what it tasted like.
I know people like this style but there's zero chance but this will ever integrate because the wood is so dominant, it's in your face and it doesn't let up. Fascinating green hue in the glass, I'm wondering if it picked that up with age or was it bottled like that. It's a shame from my perspective because the basic fruit is very nice and has a nice glycerin texture with a flinty gunpowder aroma. For me I wish they would have just backed off the oak.
There was a half a bottle left over, kind of says it all in this crowd.
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6/15/2020 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Wines Done Blind: I poured this blind, next to the Rhys 2017 Horseshoe Chard. The contrast was stark, as the Rhys seemed to receive the most positive praise, head and shoulders above. For my POV on the Marcassin, I simply found it too oaky. So much so that I am not sure how this wine can be enjoyed. The color is a bit golden, with a lot of toast both in the aroma and palate. It's just off-putting. As I think about the palate, this is so much better and satisfying, with yellow apple and good tension, with some additional lemon. I wonder then what this wine would be like if the oak was far less and the fruit was allowed to shine through. As a postscript, I tasted another bottle back in 2015 and my note says essentially the same thing so if we think that 5 years could even tame the oak from that point to now, I just don't see the oak changing nor going away.
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6/7/2020 - mjf@ulkner wrote: 94 Points
Golden yellow. Ripe tropical fruit. Seems a bit less oaked than the Estate wine. Smooth and well behaved on the finish. Terrific example of how California Chardonnay can positively age.
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2/8/2020 - rustyRudy wrote: 96 Points
Light yellow gold in color. Intriguing nose of caramel, vanilla, and almond paste. Rich and creamy, mango, papaya , creme brûlée , crisp apple, and lemon tart. Absolutely marvelous finish. Wow! Awesome ! My last bottle. Still consistent profile for me compared to several years ago. Remarkable for 13 year old California Chardonnay.
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7/3/2019 - herzog330 Likes this wine: 92 Points
New world. Creamy, slight citrus, lots of marshmallow, coconut, tropical, crème brulée on the finish big time. Nice.
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5/26/2019 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Fully mature and slightly oxidized. Big oak, vanilla bomb, large wine. Loved it. At peak
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7/9/2018 - Minnesota wrote: 94 Points
Agree with the drink up and enjoy now comments.
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1/21/2018 - DiveAlaska Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dinner at Canlis with Yumiko, Rick and Debbie. I have to start by saying that Cali chards aren't normally in my wheelhouse. Give ma a good Grand Cru Chablis any day. Having said that, this was delicious. Complex, even subtle with fantastic depth. Still a tad rich (for me) but an extremely well made wine. Paired well with geoduck miso soup
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12/22/2017 - VlgJeff wrote: 92 Points
PnP at just below cellar temp. The color (golden amber), as well as the taste show this to be a fully mature, slightly oxidized chardonnay. This medium+ bodied wine yields up ripe yellow apple and a touch of hazelnut. The acidity is very well balanced and although there are notes of caramel, the oak is well integrated. Drink up and enjoy soon.
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12/9/2017 - KenK Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very nice and drinking quite well, but perhaps just past peak. Quite rich and large scale with a velvety feel. Long oily and very slight hazelnut. Drink up and enjoy.
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8/5/2017 - tgkswine wrote: 95 Points
Drinking beautifully. Nuanced, complex and in wonderful balance.
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5/27/2017 - jonesjuice88 wrote: 100 Points
Best chard I've ever had!
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10/2/2016 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Stunning wine. Clearly mature. Golden color, slightly oxidized. Apple, pineapple, and hazelnut. A Californian emulation of white Burgundy. As delicious as this is, my manta of younger is always better still applies to my tastes in Chard.
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10/2/2016 - rustyRudy Likes this wine: 96 Points
Golden amber in color. Elegant, golden delicious apples, caramel, grilled pineapple, this is well balanced with toned down acidity, and finishes with more caramel , vanilla and butterscotch notes. I did decant it and let it warm to cellar temperature . Drinking well now.
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9/20/2016 - rosenst1 wrote: 96 Points
PnP. Medium gold. This is quite tight initially and on the palate has an intense saline quality with tons of dry extract; quite unforgiving. After 30 minutes or so and at somewhat cooler temperature, this transforms into a spectacularly balanced wine, butterscotch and some tropical characteristics on the nose, and a long and lovely finish with sufficient acid to make the experience ethereal. This doesn't have the depth and unctuous quality of the Marcassin Vineyard Chard, but is more typique for great Chardonnay from anywhere. Last bottle - will enjoy the rest tomorrow with friends. Still a Wow Wine.
Went beautifully with grilled octopus and swordfish.
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8/8/2016 - pjhr Likes this wine: 94 Points
Delicious and elegant chard with tasty fruit, mineral notes, and oak on a silky palate and long finish.
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6/26/2016 - Screameagle Likes this wine: 90 Points
A very nice chard but nothing special for me.
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4/28/2016 - dcwino wrote: 94 Points
Scott's Wine dinner at Honeysuckle, a bit of everything! (Honeysuckle, Washington DC): Classic oak driven California Chardonnay with good balance. Youthful nose displaying banana, lemon curd, apple, crème brulee and oyster shell. Excellent concentration, medium acidity, good mineral presence and long sweet finish. This seems to show a bit more oak than the 07 Marcassin vineyard. Definitely taste very high end California. Surprisingly fresh.
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4/3/2016 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 94 Points
Melon, crisp citrus, stones, and creamy oak. Straightforward and simple done impeccably well. Probably not going to improve a lot with time.
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3/23/2016 - walkerjfw wrote: 96 Points
At Ai Fiori in NYC with Paul + entourage..first white after sitting down to dinner. Slightly chilled and given a splash decant...
Light yellow/straw color. White burg nose of citrus, lemon oil, crushed stones, floral/perfumed. Full and rounded palate with citrus profile repeating, orchard fruits, caramel, ocean/oyster shell. Would describe the palate as "fat" but not overdone. Vanilla oak on mid/back palate balanced with nice acidity.
Simply gorgeous wine...great combination of Burgundian style with CA fruit. SHould drink well for another 5-7 years
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3/16/2016 - pjhr Likes this wine: 93 Points
As beautiful as the last bottle!
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1/20/2016 - nickeled Likes this wine: 90 Points
Feminine at first and then opened nicely. Rounded acidity w long finish
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8/16/2015 - Jeff Leve wrote: 95 Points
My last bottle of this beauty showed an appealing vanilla, citrus, floral and honeysuckle nose. The wine balanced fatness along with freshness, ending with sweet, ripe, citrus peel and white peach notes in the lush, fresh finish. This is drinking great now and should here for at least another 3-5 years.
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8/9/2015 - Ex-Ray Likes this wine: 92 Points
Brought to dinner by our neighbor. Still excellent after eight years. French style, mineral nose with good varietal aromas, some peaches. Viscous, medium-full bodied, excellent fruit flavors, some crisp acidity to follow. Long aftertaste. It hasn't lost anything but I doubt there will be anything more to be gained by waiting.
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7/11/2015 - Frank Murray III wrote:
A friend of mine was kind enough to share this with table. I really try not to judge the label when I see it, to keep my perspective open about this wine, the winery....but, each time I have it, I am left with an impression that the wine is of high quality and some great flavors, but IMO and for my palate, the wines are dressed up with too much oak. I mean, the lemon flavor in this wine was intense and beautiful but it's cloaked with toasted, vanilla oak. And this is an 07, which is what now, 3 releases old, and the wine was made more than 5 years ago and it still tastes like a wood barrel. I know many like this producer, I just can't get past the wood they force onto these wines.
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6/18/2015 - dcwino wrote: flawed
TN: Rhone dinner (The Grill Room at Capella Hotel Georgetown): This bottle seemed a bit tired. I also thought it was slightly corked but the opinions were split 50/50. Yellow caramel, oyster shell, burnt sugar and mineral. Very good concentration and good overall balance.
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6/17/2015 - Minnesota wrote:
--
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5/10/2015 - slywka7 Likes this wine: 93 Points
A medium straw color. Aromas of lemon, mineral, vanilla and flowers. Think the wine is too cool because the nose wasn't giving up a lot. The palate is a different story with flavors of lemon pie, vanilla, papaya, star fruit and mineral. Ends with a lemon tinged finish that last about 25-30 seconds. Very nice wine but I think my expectations were kind of high.
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4/21/2015 - bigredPA Likes this wine: 94 Points
Just an outstanding Chard. Full, sumptuous, buttery, moderate oak, mineral, really well balanced and nuanced.
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12/3/2014 - dlcass Likes this wine: 96 Points
Lovely wine as always from Marcassin's Three Sisters Vineyard. The wine continued to evolve in the glass and would benefit from a 1 hour decant, likely. The nose opened up to express asian pear, honey blossom with a hint of toasted marshmallow. Nice round palate. Lean finish. Not as full mouth feel as the typical Marcassin vineyard wines.
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10/23/2014 - Kemo Sabe Likes this wine: 94 Points
Amazing. Just so well made. Crisp and clean. Not tart, smooth.
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8/20/2014 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 98 Points
One of the best Chardonnays I’ve had. Palate of toasty oak accompanied by buttery melon and stony minerals.
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8/9/2014 - docm wrote: 90 Points
full bodied, but w/ suppressed minerality/acidity - ready
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5/24/2014 - budh wrote: 92 Points
Gold color. Aromas of butterscotch, butter, pear, something tropical, minerality. On the palate, wonderful texture, full bodied, chewy minerality & salinity, long finish. Starts off a tad flabby, but the acidity is there on the finish. Far different from any Chard I've had before. Very hard to put down. Definitely needs to approach room temperature and get at least 30 minutes of air in the glass.
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2/6/2014 - mnh Likes this wine: 98 Points
Burgundian style with great balance and lovely mineral component.
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1/1/2014 - rosenst1 wrote: 96 Points
Popped and poured. Medium gold with greenish highlights. This has a highly unusual nose of spice, may be licorice, and strange tropical fruits - not at all unpleasant just different. Great depth on the palate with a quality of drinking "liquid stones"; finish goes on and on with an almost tannic quality to it as if it is etched into the wine. A Wow wine.
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1/1/2014 - Screameagle Likes this wine: 93 Points
A beautiful chard that is definitely in it's prime. Everyone loved it even those who don't usually appreciate white wine. Happy to have a few left in the cellar.
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12/14/2013 - cadamson Likes this wine: 94 Points
Very nice, enjoyed about as much as the last one a few months back. Golden hue, with lemon notes, pear, stone like minerality and a bit of oak. Will only get better.
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11/17/2013 - Cashious Likes this wine: 95 Points
Butter and honeysuckle galore. A bit wilder than the more refined Marcassin Vineyard, but in a completey enjoyable way. My only regret is that this was my last bottle.
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10/13/2013 - Kemo Sabe wrote: 93 Points
Very nice effort here. Would say this has a long life yet to go. I will try my last bottle in maybe 5 years. These are big, Cali Chards with the craftsmanship to age. Not as nuanced at the Marcassin Vineyard but this is fabulous wine - light, crisp and refreshing yet big and bold at the same time. Not an easy feat.
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10/11/2013 - erikm9 wrote: 92 Points
world of difference between 3 sisters and estate
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9/24/2013 - D.Callahan Likes this wine: 89 Points
This wine took about 2 hours in the glass to open up and smooth out. It may need several years to integrate and develop. I have another bottle so I'll let it sit for a while and try again.
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9/3/2013 - mwanasheria wrote: 94 Points
Very elegant and sublime with citrus, honeysuckle. Good minerality and great finish.
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7/28/2013 - wilhelm.kurt Likes this wine: 96 Points
Delcisous. Drank with Greg, Dad, and Mom in Stl. Very crisp. Served at wine room temperature (not chilled).
Hints of mineral and lemon. Medium finish (long, compared to other chardonnays).
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7/23/2013 - pjhr wrote: 93 Points
Delicious and elegant chard with tasty fruit, mineral notes, and oak on a silky palate.
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7/21/2013 - cadamson Likes this wine: 95 Points
Finally a marcassin chard that I liked as much as I hoped to. Perhaps I usually have well too young. This one was still a baby, but evolved wonderfully over a couple hours. Oak was there, but only supporting. Lemon, marshmallow and what I think of as rocky minerality was there with good acidity. Really, really good.
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4/28/2013 - rosenst1 wrote: 95 Points
Popped and poured after chilling from cellar temperature. Although this had been stood up for a couple of days, still slightly hazy light greenish gold. A very cool nose with some hints of tropical fruit and a touch of spice but rather restrained. On the palate this has superlative balance with an oily quality paired with lovely intensity and a spicy finish. Perhaps not as intense as the Marcassin vineyard but a great wine. Imagine this will live a long time as well.
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2/21/2013 - mjf@ulkner Likes this wine: 93 Points
Voluptuous, ripe but not over the top, and not much oak treatment. Overall, a terrific California Chardonnay with enough minerality and acidity to merit at least a few years of aging.
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1/25/2013 - Jeff Leve wrote: 95 Points
If this was not compared against the completely off the charts Marcassin, Marcassin from the same vintage, this could have been mind blowing with its fresh lemon, lime, honey uckle, butterscotch and mineral notes. Full bodied and concentrated with layers of polished, ripe, soft, citrus, apples, pears, spice and vanilla, this is a great example of California Chardonnay at its best
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1/10/2013 - JimN wrote: 93 Points
Just a bit out of balance right now, with a little too much oak and butterscotch at the outset. Decanted for two hours and it still was just hitting its stride by the end of the evening. I rated higher than a 2002 Judge that we tasted a week ago, but the other taster preferred the Judge. I think five years in the bottle will move this score even higher.
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12/31/2012 - SUN-J wrote:
Not rated -- served too cold. Lots of oak and quite ripe on the nose. Simple on the palate. Could have used a decant and certainly needed to warm up. Too bad. Look forward to the next one.
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12/22/2012 - BenSlivka Likes this wine: 96 Points
Wow wow wow. This wine was so tight when we opened it -- suggest you decant for 2 hours before drinking. The structure was exquisite, the color light yellow straw, and the fruit was luscious. Clearly a California Chardonnay -- too much fruit for a Burgundy -- but a great balance of acid, fruit, and tannins. I think it would last for another 10-20 years...but that was the second of our two bottles. ;-)
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11/22/2012 - YQUEM90 wrote: 98 Points
Fantastic wine. Plenty of body, plenty of structure. Not at all a clobber-you-over-the-head oakiness, unlike many of its California brethren.
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11/4/2012 - tgkswine wrote: 95 Points
Too cold upon opening and didn't show me much but as it warmed up toward room temperature it simply exploded. Complex and wonderful.
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10/12/2012 - B Paul wrote: 93 Points
Notes similar to previous bottle. Really nice. Kept getting better the longer it was open. Drink now with some air, or should age nicely for a while.
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9/15/2012 - DRob wrote:
Nice ribbon of acidity down the middle, rich in body before and after. LOADS of vanilla
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8/12/2012 - HRT wrote:
Lovely complex chardonnay with citrus fruit and slight oak. Well balanced.
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6/15/2012 - pakabear wrote: 94 Points
Similar notes as before.
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6/13/2012 - P.A. Cross wrote: 94 Points
Gorgeous and pure Chardonnay...color is a pale yellow, with the body rich, but taught. Some popcorn flavors, but nice minerality and stone fruit character. Faint touches of honey and smokey oak, but overall very reserved. My guess is that this will come together over time, with more carmelly, sweet nuances coming out. Very much similar to a great burgundy from a ripe vintage.
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5/28/2012 - B Paul wrote: 93 Points
Slightly less complex than the Marcassin Vineyard (lacked the minerality), but excellent nevertheless. This improved substantially with air and I poured the last couple of glasses through the Vinturi. Should improve with age. 93+
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5/25/2012 - pakabear wrote: 94 Points
Similar notes as before, not quite as extracted as the last bottle.
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5/14/2012 - pakabear wrote: 95 Points
Huge butterscotch and white smoke on the nose. Palate is extracted with passion fruit, orange peal and salty bluestone. This is very good and what I imagine what would be produced if a grand cry burgundy produce made wine in Cali.
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10/25/2011 - mwanasheria wrote: 96 Points
Luscious and heavy, pineapple, passion, lime. Nice acid despite its weight. Spectacular.
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