GalvezGuy
Posts: 5864
Joined: 5/10/2007
From: Galveston, TX
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My Notes
LIQUID FARM 4/4 CHARDONNAY SHOOTOUT - Lucio's BYOB, Houston (4/4/2014)
The usual suspects were rounded up for an evening of blind Chardonnay tasting. A few really distinguished themselves and most were indistinguishable from each other. Not surprisingly, with this crowd, the pleaser was the 2009 Domaine Billaud-Simon Chablis Grand Cru Vaudésir, a bottle that stood high above the rest. The 2011 LF Golden Slope was the consensus #2. The 2012 Beringer Luminus (RP93) was at the bottom of the heap due to its overbearing resemblance to other butter bombs.
2011 Aubert Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
Obvious oak with a woody smoky nose but the pure fruit shines through with pineapple, pears, hints of lime. On palate, a little buttery with obvious oak and ripe pears, apple, hints of pineapple. Decent balanced finish. Tightly coiled, this needs some time to integrate the oak. #1 (90 pts.)
2011 Liquid Farm Chardonnay White Hill - USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills
Tasted blind. On the nose, citrus, green apple, chalk, sea air. On the palate, apple, pear, meyer lemon, and a nice saline quality. Searing acidity on the finish. Very Chablis-like but the ripe fruit profiles put in CA. Very surprised to see this as the White Hill. I think I liked this more than others. Needs more time to integrate the fruit and acids. Has the ability age longer term. #2 (91 pts.)
2011 Aubert Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
Tasted blind. On the nose, obvious oak influence with nice overtone of lemon and tangerine. On palate almost waxy with lemon, green apple, and fig. Oak less noticeable on the palate. Nice long finish. #3 (90 pts.)
2012 Liquid Farm Chardonnay Golden Slope - USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills
Tasted blind. This was really shy on the nose, not giving up a lot right now. Hints of flowers, lemon and green apples on the nose. On the palate, toasty oak, lemon, apple, and nice mineral streak. Very tightly coiled. This needs time to unwind. #4 (90 pts.)
2012 Massican Chardonnay Gemina Hyde Vineyards - USA, California, Napa Valley
Tasted blind. Compared to the four that preceded it, this came across as more generic. Nice enough nose of green apple and pear with hints of oak. On the palate, Granny Smith apple, ripe pear and hints of oak. Medium finish. #5 (89 pts.)
2010 Moreau-Naudet & Fils Chablis 1er Cru Montmains - France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru
The nose screams France. Flowers, citrus, green apple, and sea air on the nose. On the palate, not as intense as the nose would have you believe with nice citrus and green apple flavors. Nice racy finish. I would guess this is a Chablis. #6 (90 pts.)
2009 Rhys Chardonnay Alpine Vineyard - USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains
Tasted blind. Great nose of meyer lemon, flowers, pineapple. On the palate lemon curd, apple, unripe pear. Nice long finish. Hard to place, could be Cali or French. Definitely on the young side, probably needs a little more time. Step up from the previous wines. #7 (91 pts.)
2010 Rivers-Marie Chardonnay B. Thieriot Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
Tasted blind. Nice nose more tropical with apples, citrus, fig, and pineapple. On the palate much lighter weight than the nose would have you believe with apple, lemon curd, and fig. Nice crisp finish. #8 (90 pts.)
2009 Zepaltas Chardonnay Hanzell - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley
Tasted blind. Now we are getting somewhere. A bit oaky on the nose but the fruit it really shining with white pear, white peach, apple, with hints of mineral and nuts. On the palate, big but balanced with apple, pear, mineral, and spicy oak. Very balanced on the finish. #9 My #3. (92 pts.)
2011 Liquid Farm Chardonnay Golden Slope - USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills
Tasted blind. Great nose of green apple, sea air, pear, peach, hints of tangerine. On the palate, rich yet lively and light with apple, pear, saline, and hints of pineapple. Long finish. Would have been WOTN in many other lineups. #12 2nd Place (93 pts.)
2009 Domaine Billaud-Simon Chablis Grand Cru Vaudésir - France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis Grand Cru
Tasted blind. On the nose, pure fruit with white peach, pear, lychee, and sea air with faint chalk aroma. On the palate rich and powerful with green apple, pear, lychee, and that great saline quality. Long finish with bright acidity. WOTN and a screaming bargain. Drink or continue to hold. #12 (94 pts.)
2012 Beringer Vineyards Chardonnay Luminus - USA, California, Napa Valley, Oak Knoll
In a tasting of 13 Chardonnays, this was really disappointing. Golden delicious apple nose, with hints of fig and pineapple. On the palate, almost candied with butterscotch, fig, apple and obvious oak. Short, sweet finish. Maybe I would like this better on its own but against some of the best Chards around, it was left wanting. Last place of 13, don't know how RP gives this cougar juice a 93. (87 pts.)
2011 Dureuil-Janthial Rully 1er Cru - France, Burgundy, Côte Chalonnaise, Rully 1er Cru
Tasted blind. Wild nose of ripe apples and honeydew melon with hints of citrus and toast. On the palate lively with great sweet/tart flavors of apple, pear, and lychee. Long finish. Surprised to see this as French and more surprised to see as a Rully. High quality stuff. #13 My #4 (92 pts.)
< Message edited by GalvezGuy -- 4/8/2014 12:09:11 PM >
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Burgundy makes you think of silly things; Bordeaux makes you talk about them; Champagne makes you do them.
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