Revisiting this wine, I can't help but continue to be impressed by the tension and acidity that swarm around the gorgeous yellow citrus fruit. Even as this warmed up in the glass (beyond what I would generally prefer service-wise), it was still so vibrant and lovely. A great bottle of domestic Chardonnay...again...as always...
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Part of a birthmas dinner - still brings with it explosive acidity, which persists through an incredibly long finish; this is somehow seamlessly balanced with notes of pear, vanilla, persimmon, and lemon - despite the massive cabs VV can make, this is the gem of their portfolio, and few can do acid backed chardonnays like this. Plenty of time ahead of it, drinking well now though.
I tasted this a few years back before it was released in bottle. Back then, I knew it was built in a Burgundian style but never did I expect it to express itself like it did tonight. WOW!!! Hands down this is the best bottle of Cali Chardonnay I have EVER had in my life. This rivals some of the best Grand Cru Burgs. To be honest, I was expecting a let down because I thought all of the prior reviewers were label biased based on what they paid for it. However, there is no label bias here... just great wine! This is the Coche-Dury of Napa Valley. Yum!
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This intense and briny Chardonnay is less inviting than when I tasted it almost three years ago (12/18 - 95 points). Currently, it has incredible flavor and intriguing density - but there is an astringency that is not always enjoyable. Light yellow in color and full in body, aromas of lemon meringue, grapefruit, and white flowers. Flavors of poached pear, gooseberry, vanilla bean, with a finish that is as viscous as as it is nervy. 14.1% alcohol.
This is a wine that tests what you want from a Chardonnay. It is currently more intense than open, more briny than fruity, and I wonder how much bottle age it will require to unfold. Similar to before, it was more enjoyable on the second day, where it had softened and uncoiled a bit - so maybe long decanting is the trick. I’ve loved this white at about the three-year mark, but I can’t tell where it’s going now. 94 at the moment, but I’ll wait to open my other bottle until 2022 or later.
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4/30/2023 - csimm wrote:
Revisiting this wine, I can't help but continue to be impressed by the tension and acidity that swarm around the gorgeous yellow citrus fruit. Even as this warmed up in the glass (beyond what I would generally prefer service-wise), it was still so vibrant and lovely. A great bottle of domestic Chardonnay...again...as always...
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8/25/2022 - cubswinws wrote: 94 Points
Rich and complex chardonnay with a touch of lemon zest and long finish.
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12/4/2021 - EpochMD Likes this wine: 97 Points
Part of a birthmas dinner - still brings with it explosive acidity, which persists through an incredibly long finish; this is somehow seamlessly balanced with notes of pear, vanilla, persimmon, and lemon - despite the massive cabs VV can make, this is the gem of their portfolio, and few can do acid backed chardonnays like this. Plenty of time ahead of it, drinking well now though.
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10/3/2021 - Francophile1 Likes this wine: 96 Points
I tasted this a few years back before it was released in bottle. Back then, I knew it was built in a Burgundian style but never did I expect it to express itself like it did tonight. WOW!!! Hands down this is the best bottle of Cali Chardonnay I have EVER had in my life. This rivals some of the best Grand Cru Burgs. To be honest, I was expecting a let down because I thought all of the prior reviewers were label biased based on what they paid for it. However, there is no label bias here... just great wine! This is the Coche-Dury of Napa Valley. Yum!
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7/28/2021 - msuwine wrote: 94 Points
This intense and briny Chardonnay is less inviting than when I tasted it almost three years ago (12/18 - 95 points). Currently, it has incredible flavor and intriguing density - but there is an astringency that is not always enjoyable. Light yellow in color and full in body, aromas of lemon meringue, grapefruit, and white flowers. Flavors of poached pear, gooseberry, vanilla bean, with a finish that is as viscous as as it is nervy. 14.1% alcohol.
This is a wine that tests what you want from a Chardonnay. It is currently more intense than open, more briny than fruity, and I wonder how much bottle age it will require to unfold. Similar to before, it was more enjoyable on the second day, where it had softened and uncoiled a bit - so maybe long decanting is the trick. I’ve loved this white at about the three-year mark, but I can’t tell where it’s going now. 94 at the moment, but I’ll wait to open my other bottle until 2022 or later.
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