2014 Chanin Chardonnay Sanford & Benedict Vineyard

Community Tasting Notes (7) Avg Score: 91.1 points

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  11/21/2020 - RGCM Gananda Likes this wine: 92 Points

  Prior bottle was 16 months ago and this wine remains in a very good spot. Peach, pear and melon notes on the nose. Nose again seemed more aromatic than previously and showed the fruit better. Medium bodied with a similar flavor profile to my prior bottle: apple and pear upfront, moving to white peach with brighter, more tropical highlights behind. Mid-body showed more depth and seemed more open and expressive - more white orchard fruit, slightly less citrus. Also, better integration between oak and fruit so the oak come off as a creaminess and contributes to better mid-body depth while enhancing the fruit. Backside shows creaminess, acidity, citrus, minerals and floral notes. Like the pinot noir from this vineyard site, the Sanford & Benedict chardonnay really benefits from more cellar time. Should continue to show well over the next few years and I'd certainly buy some more if the opportunity presented itself.

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  7/16/2019 - RGCM Gananda Likes this wine: 92 Points

  Previously tasted a bit over two years ago and this wine has evolved positively in that time. Apple, pear, light oak and citrus notes on the nose which remains quite aromatic, but with the orchard fruit coming to the fore. Perhaps a bit above medium bodied with pear and other soft, open white orchard fruit upfront. Adds white peach through the middle along with the light brighter tropical hints behind and then lemon and other citrus notes on the backside. The finish is much rounder and more integrated than previously with the oak now a background creaminess and the mineral and floral notes more prominent. The structural notes and fruit qualities are much more in balance now than they were two years ago and the result is a wine with solid backbone that frames the fruit better and avoids oaky notes or overly structured, dry qualities. This vineyard does seem to tend to take a bit longer to come together, but the results are worth the wait. Next bottle for me will be June/July 2020, but this wine will last several years beyond.

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  3/31/2019 - Mbad77 wrote: 92 Points

  Very nice. Much more settled and restrained than the recently tasted 2016. Similar profile with a acidic and citrus core and finish that very much gives it interest. Not overly rich or Oaked though subtlety is on the nose.
  Better next day and more restrained - this is a great little wine.

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  8/27/2018 - jwsmith wrote: 92 Points

  Lets start with the label, cool right. Ok wine at first super tight and angry decanted calmed down gained that classic almost Macon/St Veran acidity the finish is fast super yellow color really enjoyable builds over time. Nutty Carmel lingering finish might be toasty oak...?

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  6/13/2017 - RGCM Gananda wrote: 91 Points

  Very aromatic with a lot of citrus (especially lemon) on the nose although with floral, mineral and vanilla oakyness. Medium bodied (13.55% ABV) and the most structured currently of the Chanin range, but also with the most prominent oak. Nice fruit complexity which mainly pear, peach and other other orchard fruit, but enough topical notes to add impressive depth. Structured backside with more acidity, more prominent mineral notes and heavier oak notes. Overall, this is simply a young wine and given a few more years, the elements should come together quite well. Has real potential at that stage and probably worth holding at least 12-18 months.

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