Outstanding chard! The Frank family crafted an excellent and well structured wine. This is balanced so well with subtle oak and creamy malolactic tones. Great with chicken and fish. Loved this at the winery and even more so now. This wine is still showing well within its drinking window.
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Guests not drinking reds were served this wonderful Northern Napa white wine. It has very well balanced, more moderate fruit flavors, with very light oaky overtone. It is a remarkably subtle California Chardonnay and a great hit at our party.
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Wow, notes are all over the place. I'm middle of the road with this wine. It was ok, missing the acid to balance out the fruit flavors. This wasn't a butter bomb but definitely Californian.
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PP from a .375 at little river inn; bright apple, pear and huckleberry fruit; some butter and minor oak but the fruit and (sl rustic acidity) kept this under control; very good.
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Seemed to be lacking something. Fruit was muted. Didn't appear to be corked (my wife has very low tolerance for TCA). It retained a little of the cream soda profile from when we tasted it at the winery. Has been stored properly. I would have given it an 85-86 but Ijust felt it wasn't quite right.
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Good juice. Smooth and creamy but w/enough acid balance, medium peach/pear fruit and light oak shadings. Better than '07 Rombauer, way better than '08 Rombauer IMHO.
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This comes from the Carneros property. Rich, bold, well structured, citrusy. Still creamy. A touch of RS which they just almost admited too, but then pulled back. Also shows a bit too "sugar bitter" on the back. But its thier biggest wine. And it sure anit bad. At $29 it works.
The wineries nickname for this wine is "liquid creme brulee". They feel the 2008 is fuller and denser as a wine.
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This is the best chardonnay we've had all year. It has great depth and length and is very well balanced. Has a very nice fruit profile, with some butter and oak, but its not overpowering. It has just enough acidity to match up well with our salmon. The first chardonnay in probably a year that actually matched up well with our meal. Great bottle of wine.
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Nice golden yellow. Smooth and well made emphasizing a toast and vanilla style but with fruit and acidity for balance. Typical pears and apples with a dose of cream that examplifies this approach.
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i don't think anyone will shoot up a luby's after drinking this, but it fits in that category where you can find similar taste/oak/quality at half the price.
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Opens with a blast of tropical fruit. What follows is textbook Napa Chardonnay. Big, buttery, oaky and creamy. Quite a nice example of the style, actually, as everything is in nice balance. Not my favorite approach to Chardonnay, but there's no denying this is a fine example of the style at a nice price point. Somebody used to paying 50% more for Cakebread would love this, I think. 89-90.
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My first trip to Napa, Ca.; 7/9/2009-7/11/2009: Nice toasty oak cradles the bright fruit flavors in this wine well. Great cooked apple, pear and light dose of butter on the mid-palate. Clean and good.
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My wife went to BevMo to get a "popcorn" Chardonnay. They ran out of Rombauer and recommended Frank Family instead, promising that it'll taste like liquid Creme Brule. Personally, I'm still undecided whether I like the more classic Chardonnay style or American buttery smooth style better. This one is decidedly on the American side and it's a bit too much. After each quaff, I wanted to drink some hot tea to wash away the feeling of just eating a full meal of Dim Sum in my mouth. Very very creamy. I'd drink this again but I won't be coveting it.
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Oak, strawberry and peach cream notes on the nose. The wine has a soft mouthfeel, but is propped up with a nice acidity - it resembles "tangy taffee" a little. The finish is sweet and a little hot. Nice wine.
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2/14/2014 - Bodyfxr wrote: 93 Points
Outstanding chard! The Frank family crafted an excellent and well structured wine. This is balanced so well with subtle oak and creamy malolactic tones. Great with chicken and fish. Loved this at the winery and even more so now. This wine is still showing well within its drinking window.
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12/6/2013 - bobv Likes this wine: 92 Points
Guests not drinking reds were served this wonderful Northern Napa white wine. It has very well balanced, more moderate fruit flavors, with very light oaky overtone. It is a remarkably subtle California Chardonnay and a great hit at our party.
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4/2/2013 - brigcampbell wrote: 85 Points
Wow, notes are all over the place. I'm middle of the road with this wine. It was ok, missing the acid to balance out the fruit flavors. This wasn't a butter bomb but definitely Californian.
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3/24/2013 - Slackerini wrote: 86 Points
Little oaky for me
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2/17/2013 - khfree wrote: 92 Points
Excellent with a smoked Salmon meal
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12/3/2012 - dstraub Likes this wine: 91 Points
Excellent, buttery chardonnay. Sorry to see my last bottle go.
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7/17/2012 - minomtz wrote:
Bottle was past its prime at this point
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3/23/2012 - Hannahgirl wrote: 94 Points
Great, as all Frank family's are!
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2/24/2012 - jriggleman wrote: 93 Points
Never disappoints, buttery, light citrus
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10/15/2011 - folsomarndt wrote: 91 Points
Crisp clean and enjoyable. Hit the spot.
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10/9/2011 - dstraub wrote: 91 Points
Still a good bottle of chardonnay, probably has about 3 years left.
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5/29/2011 - wabi47 wrote: 89 Points
PP from a .375 at little river inn; bright apple, pear and huckleberry fruit; some butter and minor oak but the fruit and (sl rustic acidity) kept this under control; very good.
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4/2/2011 - kenhoeve wrote: 65 Points
Interesting. Chardonnay flavored water. No oxidation, cork was fine so I cannot call it flawed. Just really really bad.
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12/18/2010 - mkmast wrote: flawed
Seemed to be lacking something. Fruit was muted. Didn't appear to be corked (my wife has very low tolerance for TCA). It retained a little of the cream soda profile from when we tasted it at the winery. Has been stored properly. I would have given it an 85-86 but Ijust felt it wasn't quite right.
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9/26/2010 - rlrettig wrote: 91 Points
Great, as usual. Went very well with our beet salad.
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9/9/2010 - dstraub wrote: 91 Points
Yet another good bottle. I think its a lot better than some of the ratings the wine magazines gave it.
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8/19/2010 - MoreWinePlease wrote: 90 Points
Good juice. Smooth and creamy but w/enough acid balance, medium peach/pear fruit and light oak shadings. Better than '07 Rombauer, way better than '08 Rombauer IMHO.
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8/15/2010 - grubmanda wrote: 90 Points
Exactly what I've come to expect from Frank Family. Big, buttery and oaky. Was a perfect complement to sushi.
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7/17/2010 - cpsmith33 wrote: 90 Points
great as always
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7/7/2010 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
This comes from the Carneros property. Rich, bold, well structured, citrusy. Still creamy. A touch of RS which they just almost admited too, but then pulled back. Also shows a bit too "sugar bitter" on the back. But its thier biggest wine. And it sure anit bad. At $29 it works.
The wineries nickname for this wine is "liquid creme brulee". They feel the 2008 is fuller and denser as a wine.
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6/4/2010 - Saf3636 wrote:
Great wine!! Smooth and flavorful.
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5/17/2010 - dstraub wrote: 93 Points
This is the best chardonnay we've had all year. It has great depth and length and is very well balanced. Has a very nice fruit profile, with some butter and oak, but its not overpowering. It has just enough acidity to match up well with our salmon. The first chardonnay in probably a year that actually matched up well with our meal. Great bottle of wine.
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3/11/2010 - Purple Cafe & Wine Bar wrote: 92 Points
Nose-buttered peaches
Taste-caramel, buttered popcorn
Feel-sharp introduction, super smooth buttery finish
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2/23/2010 - dstraub wrote: 90 Points
Had it by the glass at the Rutherford Grill in Napa - and thought it was awesome. Nice mix of butter & oak - enough to make us visit and buy 6
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2/7/2010 - bbqtom wrote: 85 Points
Nice Nose Buttery oaky flavor
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12/21/2009 - smphelps wrote: 89 Points
Nice golden yellow. Smooth and well made emphasizing a toast and vanilla style but with fruit and acidity for balance. Typical pears and apples with a dose of cream that examplifies this approach.
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11/14/2009 - bambam wrote: 89 Points
Vanilla, Butter, Melon, Oak. Made in a big malolatic style. Some residual sugar? Exactly like a good vintage of Rombauer.
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11/13/2009 - jeff nowak wrote:
i don't think anyone will shoot up a luby's after drinking this, but it fits in that category where you can find similar taste/oak/quality at half the price.
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11/13/2009 - timdrex wrote: 90 Points
One of our favorites
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11/2/2009 - jmull wrote: 89 Points
Opens with a blast of tropical fruit. What follows is textbook Napa Chardonnay. Big, buttery, oaky and creamy. Quite a nice example of the style, actually, as everything is in nice balance. Not my favorite approach to Chardonnay, but there's no denying this is a fine example of the style at a nice price point. Somebody used to paying 50% more for Cakebread would love this, I think. 89-90.
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8/12/2009 - europat55 wrote: 90 Points
Creamy flavor with different layers of fruits. Nice balance. Outstanding American style chardonnay.
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7/11/2009 - gripNsip wrote: 88 Points
My first trip to Napa, Ca.; 7/9/2009-7/11/2009: Nice toasty oak cradles the bright fruit flavors in this wine well. Great cooked apple, pear and light dose of butter on the mid-palate. Clean and good.
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7/9/2009 - brianst wrote: 89 Points
Drank at ruths chris in walnut creek. Nice start.
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1/18/2009 - brombie wrote: 89 Points
My wife went to BevMo to get a "popcorn" Chardonnay. They ran out of Rombauer and recommended Frank Family instead, promising that it'll taste like liquid Creme Brule. Personally, I'm still undecided whether I like the more classic Chardonnay style or American buttery smooth style better. This one is decidedly on the American side and it's a bit too much. After each quaff, I wanted to drink some hot tea to wash away the feeling of just eating a full meal of Dim Sum in my mouth. Very very creamy. I'd drink this again but I won't be coveting it.
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1/13/2009 - Patches wrote: 91 Points
Oak, strawberry and peach cream notes on the nose. The wine has a soft mouthfeel, but is propped up with a nice acidity - it resembles "tangy taffee" a little. The finish is sweet and a little hot. Nice wine.
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