Another one of those Hansel wines that you think I should have drank 5 years ago but end up being spot on and bewilder all of us around the table. Love it when it happens. 7 wine lovers -consensus score 92-93.
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Baked apple and butterscotch with very good richness, but too much new oak that still protrudes. Good weight and surprising freshness. Best of the 4 bottles I have had this year, but still certainly past its peak. Best when popped-and-poured, much less interesting an hour later.
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Subsequent notes on this wine from two years ago. Medium golden yellow in color. Full, forward & attractive nose of developed & complex rich ripe fruit aromas of apples, pears, citrus notes of lemons/limes & pineapple with overtones of floral notes of honeysuckle & notes of butterscotch/caramel, minerals, flinty, wet stones, spices & smoky vanilla notes in the background. Medium bodied with a very good concentration of well balanced & smooth textured, developed & complex, lush, ripe fruit flavors of apples, Asian pears, Myer lemons & pineapples with butterscotch, spices, stony, minerals & a touch of vanilla. Long lingering finish. Drinks quite well at present & may be close to its peak of development, so drink up.
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Walter Hansel vs. Grand Cru Burgundy (Bin 75): Deep yellow green; loaded with lees, nutty, macadamia nut, butterscotch, rich, almost showing some sulfur; rich and nutty on the palate, viscous, oak and vanilla present but well integrated with lush fruit, the fresh acid keeps this big boy buoyant and delicious; very noble, in a way reminiscent of a richer Meursault; very high quality Chardonnay.
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Medium golden yellow in color. Full, forward, attractive, developed and complex nose of rich ripe fruit aromas of apples, pears, lemons/limes and pineapple with smoky overtones, gunpowder, flinty, wet stones, minty, floral notes of honeysuckle, butterscotch, baking spices, minerals with lovely vanilla notes in the background. Medium to medium-full bodied with a very good concentration of well integrated, developed, complex & smooth textured, rich ripe flavors of baked apples, pears, Myer lemons and sweet pineapples with butterscotch, smoky, some spices, stony, minerals and a touch of vanilla. Long lingering crisp finish. Drinks quite well at present but has the structure and fruit to hold onto this current plateau of development although it may not develop any further with any additional aging.
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Has come around and now drinking better than before. Oak is far less pronounce, and feels like a young Chablis in character. Has a few wonderful years left.
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Slight petrol nose but drinking better than last 2 bottles. Straw color and honeysuckle nose at first. Lush citrus mid-palate and medium finish. Holding up beautifully and glad we have more.
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Delightful bottle of California Chardonnay. The color is a light straw yellow. The nose is filled with fresh pineapple, honey, butterscotch, floral notes, vanilla and apricot. The wine exhibits beautiful balance with flavors of pineapple, mint, vanilla, and toasted oaky notes. Long finish with a tiny bit of alcohol. Certainly there are those who do not like the style but Barb and I both love this wine. This is our 5th bottle out of a six-pack and certainly the most enjoyable bottle to date. Wish I had six more of this beauty. Going to be great with the Halibut Olympia in about an hour:)
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11/14/12: The fourth time to consume this wine, since December 2010. Many similar characteristics as prior tastings. On the nose, there are aromas of butterscotch, butter, toasted oak, minerals. In the mouth, flavors of sweet lemon, pineapple, toasty oak. There is sweetness on the tongue. Velvety and rich in the mouth. Excellent acid and balance. A long, smooth, oak-like finish. A decent pairing with Turbot, but I really prefer a Loire white with Turbot. Sumptuous stuff.
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Consistent notes with previous bottle but slightly darker in color and displayed a more prominent butterscotch toffee flavor on the palate this time around. Still, very enjoyable Cali chardonnay if you like your chards on the smoky side. This wine definitely displays some charred oak influence.
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Definitely a decent wine. Full-bodied, not so much fruit, more mineral and oak influence. Smoke. Smells like reallly good white burgundy in a more heavily charred barrel. Maybe Olivier Leflaive style. Wine really is as enjoyable as grand cru Burg from a mediocre producer (has the ripeness but not the class) and bitterness from extraction or how charred the barrels were. Would not pay my own money for it. I would take a bottle of Verget from the Macon over this (or de Montille, or Heritier de Comte Lafon) in a second.
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Ditto my notes of 6/8/11 and 12/13/11. It does not seem that the wine has had any transformation at all. This time it was paired with baked salmon - an OK pairing, but it probably would have been better with a pinot noir.
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Attractive floral and smoke aromas. Rich melon, citrus rind, mineral, toasted oak and apple spice notes through a broad midpalate. Finishes strong with a reprise of the fruit and the addition of some sour berry flavors. Very enjoyable.
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Deep color. Notes of butter, oak vanillin, bakd apple, pear and florals. Rich texture, full bodied; flavors of butter, apple, vanilla and tropical fruit. Terrific wit the lobster tails. No hurry to drink this, but really damn tasty now.
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Immediately after opening and pouring the wine, a pronounced aroma of toasty oak. After setting the wine aside for about 15 minutes, the aroma smooths out to the same nuances as my notes on 12/13/10: buttery, a tinge of butterscotch, lemon, pineapple, minerals and a better integrated toasty vanillin. A rich and pleasant mouth feel. Same finish as before - about 20 seconds. Paired well with halibut.
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Smooth, buttery, butterscotch and toasty vanillin on the nose. Lemon, pineapple and minerals in the mouth. Nice finish (20 sec). My kind of chardonnay.
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Deep lemon curd color, with the faintest hint of straw. Generous nose showing lots of oak, some butterscotch and burnt pancake. Similar palate, with too much wood, too much alcohol, and too much sweetness -- where is the acidity, the freshness, the Chardonnay character? Grows more searing into the very long, woody, syrupy finish. A very heavy-handed style, tiresome to drink.
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Drank as part of a chardonnay tasting. Light yellow color. Nose was a bit muted with some burnt toast and smoke with some floral notes mixed in. The palate showed some apple and creamy citrus custard flavors with some toasted oak notes and just a touch of butter. Medium+ acid and very nice balance on the mouthfeel and finish. Probably not the best qpr but very enjoyable and I will revisit my second bottle in another year to see where it goes.
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Light toasty, lemony nose. Apples, pears and lemons on the mouth. Well balanced wine that satisfies but is not as intense or tasty as the 2006 we had about a year ago.
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Bigger full bodied California Chardonnay. Good fruit, a good bit of butter and a strong charred oak flavor. Well made, but of a certain style that may not appeal to clean freaks or those that like a bit more acid. I liked it however for what it was.
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Nice, oaky, rich tasting, but lacking the zing and concentration I was expecting. Maybe this score is a bit conservative, but some serious alcohol showed up after an hour of it being opened. Need to retaste.
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Finally finishing the bottle opened a few days earlier. Not as complex, toasty oak notes dominate. Flavor is fruit cocktail syrup; acidity has softened considerably. None of the mineral tones from a few nights ago. 89 pts tonight, having held up remarkably well over the last few days. Can't recommend this enough considering the price.
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Just as good on day 2, with the same profile. The buttered popcorn tone jumped out a bit more, but the citrus and mineral tones are right there too. Solid 93 pts.
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Deep straw color. Aromas of lemon oil, minerals & rocks, honeysucke blossoms, pear and apple. Butter and toast notes develop as it warms in the glass. Good texture and weight, with flavors of popcorn, toast, butter and apple, with a nice minerally tone carrying through the finish. Drink now - 2013.
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Deep yellow in color. Flowers, pears and some smoke on the nose. This tastes like almond cream to me, very deep and full-bodied. Some peaches and guava. Complex and intense.
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Deep, golden yellow. Honeysuckle, pear and smokiness on the nose. Almond cream, smoke and herbal qualities on the palate. Deep, full-bodied mouthfeel with a long expressive finish. Notes of passionfruit, peach and guava. Very complex and highly rated by major wine critics.
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Poured a slighly pale, but dense yellow straw color. Clear water band visible and with a slight off-clear edge. Nose was initially quite nice, lemongrass, marshmallow, coconut, toast, and hints of minty herbs. On the palate, a crisp, mouth coating wine: lots of citrus, butter, toasted marshmallow, hard parmesan, roasted cashew, and some crisp mint leaf accents. This wine has a very pleasant mouthfeel; not quite syrup but not diluted to the point of non-essence. The concentration of flavors and use of oak was clearly well executed, and results in a finely balanced, versatile Chardonnay from one of my favorite producers.
Paired with the obvious and always delicious king crab legs, drawn butter, and home made cheddar bay biscuits. Served with friends, and the bottle was empty so quickly I regretted not having 3 of them to pour with dinner. I'm not sure there is a greater pleasure than beautiful Alaskan King Crab Legs and a fine, slightly chilled Chardonnay.
The Cuvee Alyce did not disappoint in '06, and '07 is following suit nicely, perhaps even slightly better with more time. I prefer this type of wine young, and it is drinking extremely well now, however I could see it going at least 5 years or more for those with more patience or a much larger cellar budget...
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Showing even more butter than the North Slope bottling on the nose, with a toasty edge; a fine, crushed rock element on the nose makes this interesting and more pleasing than the last wine. Definitely more richness to the fruit here, and maybe hints of being Burgundian. Pleasing and smooth with more sweetness than the Fontaine Gagnards tasted before, but not as much complexity, depth, and liveliness. Still, quite a good wine. 91 points, maybe 92 if you are a New World chard fan - for a diehard Burg fan this might register more as an 88-89.
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Pale gold. Aromas of mineral, honey, tea, rocks, and peach skin. Med to full body of crushed rocks, apple/pear, stone fruits, pine nut, and stone fruit pits. Finish of mild nuts and stone fruit pit. The oak is definitely a player here and could use some time to integrate. While it is creamy in texture, I find the tanginess of the stone fruit pit to be a little off. Given some cellar time I think this will evolve to more of a caramel flavor. Could not stand up to jamaican chicken and rice with mango salsa and coconut rice, alcohol came through. I suspect a year or two will give it some grip to accommodate some more glycerin, and be more food friendly. A good qpr at $30, but drink 2011-2013.
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Pale gold color, crystal clear. Very Burgundian. The bouquet is floral, almost perfumy. Lots of citrus with apple and pear on the palate. A very long finish. Nice!
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7/21/2023 - bon vivant wrote: 92 Points
Another one of those Hansel wines that you think I should have drank 5 years ago but end up being spot on and bewilder all of us around the table. Love it when it happens. 7 wine lovers -consensus score 92-93.
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12/26/2019 - Burgundy Al wrote: 88 Points
Baked apple and butterscotch with very good richness, but too much new oak that still protrudes. Good weight and surprising freshness. Best of the 4 bottles I have had this year, but still certainly past its peak. Best when popped-and-poured, much less interesting an hour later.
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9/30/2019 - Burgundy Al wrote: flawed
Well past its peak.
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8/26/2019 - Burgundy Al wrote:
Drinkable, but clearly past its peak. Better than another bottle from earlier this year. Would have been better 5 years ago, but 85 points tonight.
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3/8/2019 - Caliwinekillers wrote:
Past peak. Heavy oak and “butter”. Almost pushing on cloying but just shy. Not bad but not what should be.
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2/15/2019 - Burgundy Al wrote:
Well past its peak. Caveat...I had this non-temp-controlled in my house for a couple of years.
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12/19/2016 - LARich Likes this wine: 91 Points
Still delicious! No sign of age and drinking very well. Has at least another 2-3 years of enjoyment
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8/11/2016 - Vinnut Likes this wine: 92 Points
Subsequent notes on this wine from two years ago. Medium golden yellow in color. Full, forward & attractive nose of developed & complex rich ripe fruit aromas of apples, pears, citrus notes of lemons/limes & pineapple with overtones of floral notes of honeysuckle & notes of butterscotch/caramel, minerals, flinty, wet stones, spices & smoky vanilla notes in the background. Medium bodied with a very good concentration of well balanced & smooth textured, developed & complex, lush, ripe fruit flavors of apples, Asian pears, Myer lemons & pineapples with butterscotch, spices, stony, minerals & a touch of vanilla. Long lingering finish. Drinks quite well at present & may be close to its peak of development, so drink up.
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1/20/2015 - LARich wrote: 92 Points
Absolutely wonderful.
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8/21/2014 - Rezy13 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Walter Hansel vs. Grand Cru Burgundy (Bin 75): Deep yellow green; loaded with lees, nutty, macadamia nut, butterscotch, rich, almost showing some sulfur; rich and nutty on the palate, viscous, oak and vanilla present but well integrated with lush fruit, the fresh acid keeps this big boy buoyant and delicious; very noble, in a way reminiscent of a richer Meursault; very high quality Chardonnay.
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7/14/2014 - LARich wrote: 91 Points
Still solid and drinking great. Classic hansel
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4/6/2014 - Vinnut Likes this wine: 91 Points
Medium golden yellow in color. Full, forward, attractive, developed and complex nose of rich ripe fruit aromas of apples, pears, lemons/limes and pineapple with smoky overtones, gunpowder, flinty, wet stones, minty, floral notes of honeysuckle, butterscotch, baking spices, minerals with lovely vanilla notes in the background. Medium to medium-full bodied with a very good concentration of well integrated, developed, complex & smooth textured, rich ripe flavors of baked apples, pears, Myer lemons and sweet pineapples with butterscotch, smoky, some spices, stony, minerals and a touch of vanilla. Long lingering crisp finish. Drinks quite well at present but has the structure and fruit to hold onto this current plateau of development although it may not develop any further with any additional aging.
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1/18/2014 - LARich wrote: 92 Points
Has come around and now drinking better than before. Oak is far less pronounce, and feels like a young Chablis in character. Has a few wonderful years left.
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12/23/2013 - europat55 wrote: 93 Points
Second time having this wine and once again this was gorgeous with a general lack of oakiness, and the non-overpowering butteriness.
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9/8/2013 - europat55 wrote: 93 Points
Gorgeous California Chardonnay! Nice nutty finish!
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7/1/2013 - dsimmons wrote:
My last of six and unfortunately the last bottle was slightly oxidized making this beautiful wine ho-hum.
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5/25/2013 - LARich wrote: 91 Points
Slight petrol nose but drinking better than last 2 bottles. Straw color and honeysuckle nose at first. Lush citrus mid-palate and medium finish. Holding up beautifully and glad we have more.
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1/9/2013 - dsimmons Likes this wine: 94 Points
Delightful bottle of California Chardonnay. The color is a light straw yellow. The nose is filled with fresh pineapple, honey, butterscotch, floral notes, vanilla and apricot. The wine exhibits beautiful balance with flavors of pineapple, mint, vanilla, and toasted oaky notes. Long finish with a tiny bit of alcohol. Certainly there are those who do not like the style but Barb and I both love this wine. This is our 5th bottle out of a six-pack and certainly the most enjoyable bottle to date. Wish I had six more of this beauty. Going to be great with the Halibut Olympia in about an hour:)
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12/11/2012 - LARich wrote: 90 Points
Bright citrus, very little oak, nice medium body for a classic CA Chardonnay. Will improve for a year or so.
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11/28/2012 - nbrue wrote: 92 Points
Drinking beautifully 5 years on. An impressive tribute to Steve Hansel's wine making ability.
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11/15/2012 - Chainthroer wrote: 93 Points
11/14/12: The fourth time to consume this wine, since December 2010. Many similar characteristics as prior tastings. On the nose, there are aromas of butterscotch, butter, toasted oak, minerals. In the mouth, flavors of sweet lemon, pineapple, toasty oak. There is sweetness on the tongue. Velvety and rich in the mouth. Excellent acid and balance. A long, smooth, oak-like finish. A decent pairing with Turbot, but I really prefer a Loire white with Turbot. Sumptuous stuff.
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8/19/2012 - Rich S wrote: 91 Points
Consistent notes with previous bottle but slightly darker in color and displayed a more prominent butterscotch toffee flavor on the palate this time around. Still, very enjoyable Cali chardonnay if you like your chards on the smoky side. This wine definitely displays some charred oak influence.
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12/14/2011 - liteagilis wrote:
Definitely a decent wine. Full-bodied, not so much fruit, more mineral and oak influence. Smoke. Smells like reallly good white burgundy in a more heavily charred barrel. Maybe Olivier Leflaive style. Wine really is as enjoyable as grand cru Burg from a mediocre producer (has the ripeness but not the class) and bitterness from extraction or how charred the barrels were. Would not pay my own money for it. I would take a bottle of Verget from the Macon over this (or de Montille, or Heritier de Comte Lafon) in a second.
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12/9/2011 - Chainthroer wrote: 93 Points
Ditto my notes of 6/8/11 and 12/13/11. It does not seem that the wine has had any transformation at all. This time it was paired with baked salmon - an OK pairing, but it probably would have been better with a pinot noir.
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12/6/2011 - Ellenkf Does not like this wine:
kind of flabby, wish this had more life
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9/21/2011 - jfkwines wrote: 90 Points
Alot of toast, strong hints of lemon and green apple, the wine was very nice and clearly built to age.
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9/10/2011 - dsimmons Likes this wine:
Very nice chardonay
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9/5/2011 - 6831 wrote: 91 Points
Attractive floral and smoke aromas.
Rich melon, citrus rind, mineral, toasted oak and apple spice notes through a broad midpalate.
Finishes strong with a reprise of the fruit and the addition of some sour berry flavors.
Very enjoyable.
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8/9/2011 - AllRed wrote: 93 Points
Deep color. Notes of butter, oak vanillin, bakd apple, pear and florals. Rich texture, full bodied; flavors of butter, apple, vanilla and tropical fruit. Terrific wit the lobster tails. No hurry to drink this, but really damn tasty now.
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6/8/2011 - Chainthroer wrote: 93 Points
Immediately after opening and pouring the wine, a pronounced aroma of toasty oak. After setting the wine aside for about 15 minutes, the aroma smooths out to the same nuances as my notes on 12/13/10: buttery, a tinge of butterscotch, lemon, pineapple, minerals and a better integrated toasty vanillin. A rich and pleasant mouth feel. Same finish as before - about 20 seconds. Paired well with halibut.
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3/11/2011 - kidujp wrote: 91 Points
Pineapple, oak, sweet, sweeter the longer it's open.
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1/15/2011 - mmcdds wrote:
Big, buttery overdone California Chard. Not my cup of tea, but my wife loves it.
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12/13/2010 - Chainthroer wrote: 93 Points
Smooth, buttery, butterscotch and toasty vanillin on the nose. Lemon, pineapple and minerals in the mouth. Nice finish (20 sec). My kind of chardonnay.
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11/26/2010 - dsimmons Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very nice lazy afternoon sipper. Enjoyed this delicious chardonnay.
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11/14/2010 - Maz wrote: 85 Points
Not a big fan of this wine. Oak dominates.
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10/1/2010 - LARich wrote: 89 Points
Needs time.
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9/15/2010 - petitblanc wrote: 85 Points
Deep lemon curd color, with the faintest hint of straw. Generous nose showing lots of oak, some butterscotch and burnt pancake. Similar palate, with too much wood, too much alcohol, and too much sweetness -- where is the acidity, the freshness, the Chardonnay character? Grows more searing into the very long, woody, syrupy finish. A very heavy-handed style, tiresome to drink.
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8/19/2010 - Chrisinroch wrote:
Very toasty, a heavy hand with the oak. Less balanced than previous bottle I had. Not sure I recommend it.
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8/15/2010 - Rich S wrote: 91 Points
Drank as part of a chardonnay tasting. Light yellow color. Nose was a bit muted with some burnt toast and smoke with some floral notes mixed in. The palate showed some apple and creamy citrus custard flavors with some toasted oak notes and just a touch of butter. Medium+ acid and very nice balance on the mouthfeel and finish. Probably not the best qpr but very enjoyable and I will revisit my second bottle in another year to see where it goes.
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8/11/2010 - pismo45 wrote: 89 Points
Light toasty, lemony nose. Apples, pears and lemons on the mouth. Well balanced wine that satisfies but is not as intense or tasty as the 2006 we had about a year ago.
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7/18/2010 - Harneloot wrote: 91 Points
Creamy fruit and peach pie with caramel, fig and a good mineral backbone.
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7/14/2010 - Chrisinroch wrote: 89 Points
Bigger full bodied California Chardonnay. Good fruit, a good bit of butter and a strong charred oak flavor. Well made, but of a certain style that may not appeal to clean freaks or those that like a bit more acid. I liked it however for what it was.
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7/3/2010 - ginfizz wrote: 90 Points
Nice, oaky, rich tasting, but lacking the zing and concentration I was expecting. Maybe this score is a bit conservative, but some serious alcohol showed up after an hour of it being opened. Need to retaste.
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6/14/2010 - AllRed wrote: 89 Points
Finally finishing the bottle opened a few days earlier. Not as complex, toasty oak notes dominate. Flavor is fruit cocktail syrup; acidity has softened considerably. None of the mineral tones from a few nights ago. 89 pts tonight, having held up remarkably well over the last few days. Can't recommend this enough considering the price.
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6/10/2010 - AllRed wrote: 93 Points
Just as good on day 2, with the same profile. The buttered popcorn tone jumped out a bit more, but the citrus and mineral tones are right there too. Solid 93 pts.
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6/9/2010 - AllRed wrote: 93 Points
Deep straw color. Aromas of lemon oil, minerals & rocks, honeysucke blossoms, pear and apple. Butter and toast notes develop as it warms in the glass. Good texture and weight, with flavors of popcorn, toast, butter and apple, with a nice minerally tone carrying through the finish. Drink now - 2013.
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4/13/2010 - air guitar & pinot noir wrote: 90 Points
Deep yellow in color. Flowers, pears and some smoke on the nose. This tastes like almond cream to me, very deep and full-bodied. Some peaches and guava. Complex and intense.
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4/1/2010 - air guitar & pinot noir wrote: 90 Points
Deep, golden yellow. Honeysuckle, pear and smokiness on the nose. Almond cream, smoke and herbal qualities on the palate. Deep, full-bodied mouthfeel with a long expressive finish. Notes of passionfruit, peach and guava. Very complex and highly rated by major wine critics.
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3/19/2010 - skinowdrinklater Likes this wine: 93 Points
Poured a slighly pale, but dense yellow straw color. Clear water band visible and with a slight off-clear edge. Nose was initially quite nice, lemongrass, marshmallow, coconut, toast, and hints of minty herbs. On the palate, a crisp, mouth coating wine: lots of citrus, butter, toasted marshmallow, hard parmesan, roasted cashew, and some crisp mint leaf accents. This wine has a very pleasant mouthfeel; not quite syrup but not diluted to the point of non-essence. The concentration of flavors and use of oak was clearly well executed, and results in a finely balanced, versatile Chardonnay from one of my favorite producers.
Paired with the obvious and always delicious king crab legs, drawn butter, and home made cheddar bay biscuits. Served with friends, and the bottle was empty so quickly I regretted not having 3 of them to pour with dinner. I'm not sure there is a greater pleasure than beautiful Alaskan King Crab Legs and a fine, slightly chilled Chardonnay.
The Cuvee Alyce did not disappoint in '06, and '07 is following suit nicely, perhaps even slightly better with more time. I prefer this type of wine young, and it is drinking extremely well now, however I could see it going at least 5 years or more for those with more patience or a much larger cellar budget...
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3/16/2010 - amateurwino wrote: 90 Points
Showing even more butter than the North Slope bottling on the nose, with a toasty edge; a fine, crushed rock element on the nose makes this interesting and more pleasing than the last wine. Definitely more richness to the fruit here, and maybe hints of being Burgundian. Pleasing and smooth with more sweetness than the Fontaine Gagnards tasted before, but not as much complexity, depth, and liveliness. Still, quite a good wine. 91 points, maybe 92 if you are a New World chard fan - for a diehard Burg fan this might register more as an 88-89.
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2/15/2010 - kenhoeve wrote: 89 Points
Pale gold. Aromas of mineral, honey, tea, rocks, and peach skin. Med to full body of crushed rocks, apple/pear, stone fruits, pine nut, and stone fruit pits. Finish of mild nuts and stone fruit pit. The oak is definitely a player here and could use some time to integrate. While it is creamy in texture, I find the tanginess of the stone fruit pit to be a little off. Given some cellar time I think this will evolve to more of a caramel flavor. Could not stand up to jamaican chicken and rice with mango salsa and coconut rice, alcohol came through. I suspect a year or two will give it some grip to accommodate some more glycerin, and be more food friendly. A good qpr at $30, but drink 2011-2013.
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1/17/2010 - rpenn77 wrote: 92 Points
Loads of minerality, very Burgundian in style. Good acidity.
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1/1/2010 - mjerome wrote: 92 Points
Pale gold color, crystal clear. Very Burgundian. The bouquet is floral, almost perfumy. Lots of citrus with apple and pear on the palate. A very long finish. Nice!
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12/20/2009 - rpenn77 wrote: 93 Points
Very Burgundian with lots of mineral notes
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11/21/2009 - keithgg wrote: 88 Points
Surprising and disappointing levels of oak for a Hansel chard. Hard to get beyond it.
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