2002 Lafond Chardonnay Lafond Vineyard

Community Tasting Notes (1) Avg Score: 90 points

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  9/23/2012 - isaacjamesbaker wrote: 90 Points

  Neon yellow color in the glass with big goopy legs. Dense and powerful aromas: carmelized sugar, banana peel and aroma that reminds me of a really good olive oil. This wine is like a punch in the palate. The fruit is so dense, like lemons, green apples and lychee fruit were all melted down in a pan with sugar. The acid is actually slightly higher than medium, which saves this wine from being a hot mess. The nutty and toasty notes blend well with the richness of the fruit and the thickness of the mouthfeel. With a lot of Cali chards, the heavy oak seems to come out more with time as the fruit fades, but Lafond knows what they're doing with oak, and they keep it perfectly balanced. This wine falls on the big and brooding end of the chardonnay spectrum, but I really like it. Ten years of age has brought out all these honeycomb, pear butter, lychee nut and olive oil flavors. A kiss of acid lingers on the thick finish, and the 15% alcohol doesn't burn. I'm not sure how they pulled it off, but this wine does maintain a sense of, dare I say it?, balance. This could hold on for a few more years, but if I had any more I'd probably drink them in the coming months.

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