2009 Clos Pepe Estate Chardonnay Barrel Fermented

Community Tasting Notes (38) Avg Score: 91.2 points

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  2/13/2021 - The Drunken Cyclist Likes this wine: 95 Points

  Retail $35. DIAM 10 Closure. OK, I am going to try to keep it together here as this was the last bottle of the case of this wine I bought I am not entirely sure how long ago. Sniff. I have a long history with Clos Pepe (and to a lesser extent, winemaker Wes Hagen), which I have chronicled many times in this space and on my wine blog (shameless plug alert): http://www.thedrunkencyclist.com. So I am a bit sad but this wine assuages me out of my melancholy--this is freaking gangbusters (no doubt Wes would have used slightly more colorful language there). Yellow straw in the glass with a warmly toasted-nut (basked with lemon curd) aspect in the glass. The palate is defined by the acidity (striking), but buoyed by the subtly intense (can that be a thing?) fruit, a dab of oakiness, layers of complexity, and a dollop of minerality. Since my first sip of Clos Pepe Chardonnay, I have berated (maybe too strong?) Wes that I thought the best wines made from what I consider to be an American Grand Cru, were not Pinots, but Chardonnay. This serves as justification. Whoa. Complete gangbusters, a wine that *few* would ever guess is over a decade old. Yowza. I miss Wes at the helm of Clos Pepe so much.
  
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  1/1/2020 - The Drunken Cyclist Likes this wine: 93 Points

  After this bottle, I only have one left from this vintage and another dozen total from other various vintages. And that's it--the winery no longer exists. And that is tragic. This is yet another stellar bottle with a touch of funk but otherwise bright green apple and pear. The palate is marvelous: the fruit is slightly muted, but great tartness and minerality with oodles of verve, Whoa. Fantastic. thedrunkencyclist.com

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  5/13/2019 - JOsgood wrote:

  Has held up well in the bottle. Just a hint of secondary coming thru now. Was best upon release though.

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  2/9/2019 - onthenose Likes this wine: 92 Points

  This has great structure, solid lemon/citrus flavors. Medium dry.

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  4/8/2018 - Djfermentation Likes this wine: 93 Points

  Drank our final bottle, a magnum, last night with family. Wow! This bottle has progressed and evolved so gracefully. We probably could have given it several more years, however, this a great spot now. So fresh, with early fruit flavors mellowing a bit, yet still quite bright. Terrific stuff

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