December 31, 2020 - Retail $50. Very similar to the last bottle, but there clearly is bottle variation. Still, Excellent. thedrunkencyclist.com
May 14, 2020 - Retail $50. OK, this wine is officially all over the map: this was stellar, similar to the second bottle, while the other two were, well, meh. I bought these back in 2014 from Last Bottle for a fraction of the retail price (~3/5 for the fraction geeks out there), a pretty good deal, even the two lesser-thans. A bit of a golden straw in the glass with lemon peel, slightly browned butter, and hyacinth. The palate is pretty close to glorious with great acidity, still vibrant fruit (even a decade out), and a lengthy finish. Close to a Whoa. thedrunkencyclist.com
July 13, 2019 - Purchased a spec bottle from a reputable local shop that had several cases on close-out, hoping for a (relative) bargain ($28).
Color/App: deep yellow with gold tint; quite viscous. Interesting reading the recent notes on this regarding the use of oak; some describe it as light, others heavy. My bottle exhibited the oak monster from Scotland (smoky). A little lemon and some nuttiness but most of the nose was obliterated by oak. The palate fared better: oak noticeable but not as overwhelming. Citrus, lemon zest, some marzipan and a touch of toffee overlayed with oak. Don't know if this was super oaky in its youth and has never quite been in balance or if the oak has steadily grown over the years but I'm not a fan. Acidity is light but acceptable. It's drinkable but not my cup of Chardonnay.
December 23, 2018 - I pulled this out for a cheese plate with some friends over and it was fairly well received. Obviously made before the sale to Jackson Family Wines, this is surprisingly golden in the glass with decided lemon notes and a hint of oak. The fruit is still hanging on, but it is showing signs of waning on the palate. The acidity is still strong, though, but nonetheless I am going to get to my two remaining bottles soon. thedrunkencyclist.com
July 30, 2018 - Beautiful green gold colour. Superb buttery nose with a strong overlay of smoky oak. Initially too cold, the wine emphasized a slightly citrus character and classy oak but as it warmed to near room temperature it really began to sing with smoky, almost spicy, tropical fruit and butter. Excellent and in my opinion with plenty of life left in it. Great with food but also very enjoyable appreciated on its own.
June 8, 2018 - Complex, floral nose. Nice minerality, full-bodied and savory with a mouthwatering finish. Very fine.
April 19, 2018 - Past prime. But still has enough stuffins’ to hold your interest. Notions of nuts and butterscotch. But the fruit has dropped out, leaving a more acid edge that makes it difficult to pair with food. Drink up.
March 2, 2018 - Seemed past its prime or approaching it. Had a funky nose that probably would have worked best with a cheese plate or something similar. Held up pretty well with a shrimp ceviche appetizer.
November 14, 2017 - gold-green - citrus nose of lemon, lime and stone fruit - very light oak - medium bodied mouth with peach and mineral flavors - agree with other notes that it is more Chablis-like than California, but the abundant fruit character gives its origin away - nice long finish that persists for 30 seconds - this may not be to everyone's liking, but it will pair with some foods very nicely (complemented Thai basil chicken and eggplant very well tonight) - given the acidity and balance, this will keep for another 5 years easily, and hopefully will evolve additional complex aromas and flavors
September 23, 2017 - so much better, who knew it needed 7 years of age.