• MuddyBear Likes this wine: 94 points

    March 15, 2024 - Aubert single vineyards never disappoint. This one was in a fantastic spot. Maybe not quite peak yet, but closing in on it.

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  • bsumoba Likes this wine: 97 points

    January 21, 2024 - It's A Boy! Just kidding! (Mi Casa): Last bottle. Hitting all the right notes for me and I would guess, for most of the guests in attendance. Honey, baked apple pie with a flaky, buttery crust, lemon preserves. I am a big fan of Lauren. IMO, drink now.

    2 people found this helpful Comments (5)
  • WineBurrowingWombat Likes this wine: 97 points

    January 20, 2024 - Stylistic '18 blind (The Sumoba compound): N: Honeysuckle, white flowers, creamy yeast but rather light, and a fresh and subtle mint or eucalyptus flair. A note of slightly burnt honey, as if honey was used instead of brown sugar topping for a creme brûlée.

    P: Generous entry of deep orchard fruits (yellow apples, prickly pears both soft flesh and crisp ones), a bit of dry straw, honey comb wax, and a trailing mineral streak. A rich upfront that wanes a little onto mid palate, then fresher onto the finish. Amazing now and could hold well into for another handful of years.

    Awesome way to start a blind. This completely preps the palate for tasting, showing incredible flavors, waking the palate up, while not once weighing it down.

    3 people found this helpful Comments (1)
  • mflesh wrote: 99 points

    January 5, 2024 - Near perfection for a white wine. A near-ethereal experience today. This wine is in the wheelhouse. Yellow peach and Asian pear, perfect minerality and acidity balanced with yellow fruit density. Finishes with a ridiculous amount of acidity and white pepper spice. This wine has turned my head with regard to Aubert chardonnay. As of today my favorite offering is the Hyde, but this wine turned my head to the Lauren which is typically the most expensive offering, and shows the power and prestige of the Lauren vineyard. Should have asked for more of this, darn it!!! Philip, help a brother out!! :) A beautiful bottle of wine, with a ton of life left in it. Managed somehow to keep this in the bottle for six years post vintage (how I'm not so sure). Shockingly I still have 3 more Aubert bottles from 2017 but this is my very last Lauren from the 2017 vintage!

    2 people found this helpful Comment
  • jgreco Likes this wine: 94 points

    December 25, 2023 - California Chardonnay does not get much better than this. Just entering its drinking window. I’m going to wait 2-3 years before cracking another.

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  • advinm41 Likes this wine: 95 points

    December 25, 2023 - Beautiful golden color. Complex nose of pears, apples, buttered brioche, hazelnut cream, white flowers, sea spray, nutmeg and spices. Palate is full bodied with sweet orchard fruit penetrated by sharp acidity with notes of lemon peel, hazelnuts, white flowers and minerality. Everything in balance. Outstanding. Great vineyard!

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  • dkwins Likes this wine: 96 points

    October 30, 2023 - As good as any chardonnay. Big bursts of ripe fruit, pear, apple and beautifully integrated.

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  • MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 96 points

    September 11, 2023 - Prior notes hold. My preference was towards the 17 Sugar Shack but this was a close second with CIX. Drink now or hold.

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  • bigredPA Likes this wine: 96 points

    July 1, 2023 - This wine borders on ethereal. This has to be the best western chardonnay I have had the pleasure of drinking. It is pure elegance, with layers upon layers of complexity. The intermingling of fruit & minerality is hard to describe adequately. Just embrace it for what it is.

    1 person found this helpful Comment
  • I'd Rather Be Drinking Wine Likes this wine: 97 points

    May 28, 2023 - Wild and Crazy Memorial Weekend - Sunday (Chris' Castle aka Melissa's Manor): Next to Marcassin, this is my favorite Chardonnay! This bottle did not disappoint! I always advocate 6-8 years of age on Aubert wines (Lauren is typically at the 8 year end). At 6, this wine is just starting to hit its stride. This wine shows a nice blend of stone fruit and tropical fruit, coupled with melon and pear and some citrus.....yes, this wine has it all going on! Add to that some river-rock and sweet toasted oak to compliment the acidity and you have one of the best Chardonnays out there! The only thing that stops me from rating this even higher, is I know it will still get better during the next few years! 96-97 now, with a positive upside.

    2 people found this helpful Comment