100% Chardonnay from the dry-farmed 17-yo plot in Santa Cruz Mountains. Fermented spontaneously, aged in partially new French oak barrels. 14,4% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Youthful yellow-green color. The nose feels characterful and fragrant with aromas of gooseberries and fresh Golden Delicious apple, some sweeter notes of ripe nectarine, light green nuances of asparagus, a hint of creamy oak and a nutty touch of slivered almonds. The wine is crisp, dry and balanced on the palate with a medium body and focused flavors of ripe Golden Delicious apple and apple peel bitterness, some nutty notes of wood, a little bit of creamy oak, light crunchy notes of fresh gooseberries, a toasty hint of popcorn and a touch of apricot. The rather high acidity lends great sense of freshness and structure to the wine. The finish is dry, fresh and quite focused with a moderately long aftertaste of Golden Delicious apple and cantaloupe, some woody tones, a little bit of creamy oak, light crunchy notes of golden currants and gooseberries, a hint of apple peel bitterness and a touch of nectarine.
A surprisingly fresh, precise and focused Chardonnay. Although the wine is at almost identical ABV% as the 2007 vintage we had earlier this year, the difference between these wines is remarkable. That 2007 had a similarly brisk acidic spine, yet it came across as pretty heavy and somewhat clumsy with its more noticeable ripeness and rather pronounced oaky tones. This 2010 was instead slightly sleeker in body with less obvious ripeness in the fruit department and more integrated oak influence. A lovely wine that feels somewhat younger than what I'd expect from a 12-yo Cali Chardonnay. Great stuff that is drinking really well right now, but also shows potential for further development.
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golden yellow, lots of clarity, silvery hue Nose: ripe pear, green apple, musk, minerals, vanilla, clove, white pepper, oak Pal: ripe pear, green apple, musk, minerals, lime, clove, white pepper, oak Feel: medium, savory Finish: medium T6 horribly made wine, not aging well....blustery, California chard, no class
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A beautifully-aged mountain Chardonnay. Yellow gold in color, medium in body, nose of almond and salt water. Thick tastes of cantaloupe, melon, and flint, with a round finish that reminds me of a white Bourdeaux. 13.4% alcohol. The fruit has subsided a bit, but this is a classic Chardonnay that shows the charm of age. Drink now.
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Opened at Anvil. This bottle was either off in some way for my taste, or it suffered in comparison to the '06 Ridge Chard Monte Bello opened alongside. I've had at least four of these over the years and they have all been in the 93 point range for me. This was not.
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Courtesy of m/m tlv. Notes of buttered popcorn and apple with a strong tropical quality as it warms and opens in the glass. Full-bodied and layered; apple, buttered popcorn, banana and pear flavors with a lengthy finish. Vanilla custard and fig qualities appear with additional time in the glass. The only thing wrong with this wine, and all the others tonight, is that they were out shown by the Ridge.
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medium gold, lots of clarity, silvery hue Nose: sweet pear, vanilla, minerals, limestone, white pepper, musk, tarragon, green pepper, oak Pal: pear, vanilla, minerals, chalk, musk, peach stone, white pepper, tarragon, green pepper, oak Feel: medium/full, savory Finish: medium/long, savory TC8 Too syrupy? Almost like a Mersault; expected more elegance, like a Puligny; little complexity
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Full and complex, but also clean and crisp. Tropical notes along with lemon. a lot of secondary notes coming in with a deep pull of the nose and on the finish.
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Bright lemon, toasty oak and vanilla on nose. In the mouth, expansive with some precision. I'm a big fan of Varner chards, but this one is showing too much oak for my taste tonight..
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I've really enjoyed these Varner chards. Very high praise from a guy who prefers the kind from across the Atlantic! Just realized I've never posted on this wine before - surprising. Tonight's seems almost a bit faded - drink as young as possible? While tonight is very enjoyable, it's far more subtle than in previous tastings over the past 18 months. Golden straw color. Nice acidity and balance. Stone fruit, almost taking on a touch of sweetness in its "old age." Med finish. Drink up?
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For a chardonnay with a fair amount of oak and butter, and a generally heavy flavor profile, this still manages to come across as balanced. A "dark" rendition of chardonnay with enough of a resinous lift on the finish, and supporting acidity, to keep it from being overbearing. New world in style, but one of the better examples I've had in quite awhile.
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Nice medium bodied Chard. Absolutely California but absolutely NOT Napa. Mineral core with sweet lemon, candied lime and some real gorgeous yellow flower accents. Long finish with a kiss of oak. Very nice but Parker overrates these bottlings by a bit. Still cannot find many better California Chardonnay at this price.
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I remember the previous bottles as richer than this one. This bottle a bit lean, with tart citrus predominating. Makes me wonder if this vintage is already past its drinking window?
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USA Cult and Wines of Interest (Sydney, Australia): Flint, matchstick and pear aromas with some ginger and vanilla. Great structure to the palate, with some layers of complexity and it shows fine length. More interesting texturally than the Home Block and Amphitheatre Block that it was served next to, this improved with air and I really enjoyed it.
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non blind. nice colr and nose of stone and steel with hints of oak and vanilla. mouthfeels is burgundian to me with predominacne of stoney character with nice yellow fruit and acid. mouthfeel tells all as this seemed a bit out of balance. while the fruit is there, the tartness and stoney minerality dominate. not much oak character tonight - missing some buttery, vanilla character. finish is shorter than i'd like but very good none the less. too young? decant?
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Opened by LostVerse. The first Varner wine which I have had. Thought the nose was somewhat muted. Notes of oak and white pepper with some apple. Too heavy for me. 87 points.
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Dinner with xhoser (Topaz Cafe, Burr Ridge): Deep color. Aromas of butterscotch, hazelnut, vanilla and apple. Medium- to full-bodied, featuring toasted almond and apple flavors, with an intriguing caramel quality in the finish. Young. Drink 2015+. Thanks m/m tlv.
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Opened at Topaz with CWM and xhoser. This was an inadvertent grab, and still too young. I find that I like these a little on the warmer side than usual. Notes of green apples, pears and mineral. I've got to leave these alone for awhile.
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Pale gold color. Pnp. Drank 2 glasses over 90 minutes. Improved as approached room temp, nose has apple, pear, minerals, subtle toasted oak. The palate is medium bodied, graceful, apple, citrus, good balance, medium plus finish. Very good, but perhaps a little cellar time would add some nuances. Expected more. 91+ to 92pts.
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fresh scents of white peach, green apples and pears, the palate is full with complex Chardonnay fruit, full with energy, full, but not heavy, structured, backed by strong acid, racy acid, age-worthy but also delicious now, great with food, so very well made, will satisfy the thirsty and collectors alike
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Paired with a dungenese crab dinner. Perfect. The buttery flavor pairs well with the crab with butter. NOT oaky. Fresh and clean and has a light straw color. This is the BEST chardonnay I have had. Ever.
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12/30/2022 - forceberry wrote: 92 Points
100% Chardonnay from the dry-farmed 17-yo plot in Santa Cruz Mountains. Fermented spontaneously, aged in partially new French oak barrels. 14,4% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Youthful yellow-green color. The nose feels characterful and fragrant with aromas of gooseberries and fresh Golden Delicious apple, some sweeter notes of ripe nectarine, light green nuances of asparagus, a hint of creamy oak and a nutty touch of slivered almonds. The wine is crisp, dry and balanced on the palate with a medium body and focused flavors of ripe Golden Delicious apple and apple peel bitterness, some nutty notes of wood, a little bit of creamy oak, light crunchy notes of fresh gooseberries, a toasty hint of popcorn and a touch of apricot. The rather high acidity lends great sense of freshness and structure to the wine. The finish is dry, fresh and quite focused with a moderately long aftertaste of Golden Delicious apple and cantaloupe, some woody tones, a little bit of creamy oak, light crunchy notes of golden currants and gooseberries, a hint of apple peel bitterness and a touch of nectarine.
A surprisingly fresh, precise and focused Chardonnay. Although the wine is at almost identical ABV% as the 2007 vintage we had earlier this year, the difference between these wines is remarkable. That 2007 had a similarly brisk acidic spine, yet it came across as pretty heavy and somewhat clumsy with its more noticeable ripeness and rather pronounced oaky tones. This 2010 was instead slightly sleeker in body with less obvious ripeness in the fruit department and more integrated oak influence. A lovely wine that feels somewhat younger than what I'd expect from a 12-yo Cali Chardonnay. Great stuff that is drinking really well right now, but also shows potential for further development.
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10/21/2020 - Frijole wrote:
golden yellow, lots of clarity, silvery hue
Nose: ripe pear, green apple, musk, minerals, vanilla, clove, white pepper,
oak
Pal: ripe pear, green apple, musk, minerals, lime, clove, white pepper, oak
Feel: medium, savory
Finish: medium
T6
horribly made wine, not aging well....blustery, California chard, no class
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2/2/2020 - SteveVermeer Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drank with a Balsamic and Pear Chicken dish, excellent. Drink now or hold for a couple of more years. Great wine.
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1/16/2019 - thelostverse wrote: 93 Points
This was back to normal after a questionable showing with the last bottle. Apples and pears with deft touch of oak.
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1/14/2019 - LARich Likes this wine: 92 Points
Crisp and clean but starting to show it’s age. Drink up!
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10/15/2018 - ledwards wrote: 88 Points
Deep yellow with oxidized notes but pleasantly, has gained additional Jura-like texture which with food, is satisfying but not special.
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9/17/2018 - 560 B&W Likes this wine: 90 Points
PnP with chicken. Oak has integrated, and the flavors are fine, but there isn't enough acid to make it interesting. 14.4%
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7/18/2016 - Chainthroer wrote:
No notes taken.
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3/7/2016 - msuwine wrote: 94 Points
A beautifully-aged mountain Chardonnay. Yellow gold in color, medium in body, nose of almond and salt water. Thick tastes of cantaloupe, melon, and flint, with a round finish that reminds me of a white Bourdeaux. 13.4% alcohol. The fruit has subsided a bit, but this is a classic Chardonnay that shows the charm of age. Drink now.
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2/19/2016 - thelostverse wrote:
Opened at Anvil. This bottle was either off in some way for my taste, or it suffered in comparison to the '06 Ridge Chard Monte Bello opened alongside. I've had at least four of these over the years and they have all been in the 93 point range for me. This was not.
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2/19/2016 - AllRed wrote: 92 Points
Courtesy of m/m tlv. Notes of buttered popcorn and apple with a strong tropical quality as it warms and opens in the glass. Full-bodied and layered; apple, buttered popcorn, banana and pear flavors with a lengthy finish. Vanilla custard and fig qualities appear with additional time in the glass. The only thing wrong with this wine, and all the others tonight, is that they were out shown by the Ridge.
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7/22/2015 - Frijole wrote:
medium gold, lots of clarity, silvery hue
Nose: sweet pear, vanilla, minerals, limestone, white pepper, musk, tarragon, green pepper, oak
Pal: pear, vanilla, minerals, chalk, musk, peach stone, white pepper, tarragon, green pepper, oak
Feel: medium/full, savory
Finish: medium/long, savory
TC8
Too syrupy? Almost like a Mersault; expected more elegance, like a Puligny; little complexity
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3/16/2015 - lvjohn Likes this wine: 94 Points
Still terrific CA chard. Very rich with vanilla notes showing along with traditional chard. flavors.
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12/30/2014 - lvjohn Likes this wine: 94 Points
Terrific! Intense CA chardonnay at its best.
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12/20/2014 - gmbdds wrote: 91 Points
Full and complex, but also clean and crisp. Tropical notes along with lemon. a lot of secondary notes coming in with a deep pull of the nose and on the finish.
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11/21/2014 - bubbachumps wrote: 90 Points
Bright lemon, toasty oak and vanilla on nose. In the mouth, expansive with some precision. I'm a big fan of Varner chards, but this one is showing too much oak for my taste tonight..
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10/28/2014 - nortonnose wrote: 92 Points
I've really enjoyed these Varner chards. Very high praise from a guy who prefers the kind from across the Atlantic! Just realized I've never posted on this wine before - surprising. Tonight's seems almost a bit faded - drink as young as possible? While tonight is very enjoyable, it's far more subtle than in previous tastings over the past 18 months. Golden straw color. Nice acidity and balance. Stone fruit, almost taking on a touch of sweetness in its "old age." Med finish. Drink up?
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9/4/2014 - lvjohn Likes this wine: 91 Points
Took a while to open up, but once it did, we liked it. Nice citrus and spicy apple flavors as I recall
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7/9/2014 - ledwards wrote: 88 Points
Dominated by too much oak for my tastes as while it may be well-built, it is slightly masked by this component.
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1/24/2014 - lvjohn Likes this wine: 94 Points
Very special CA. Chard. Very pure, clean with a bit of wood. This wine compares very favorably with moe expensive CA. Charts.
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9/13/2013 - vanpe003 wrote: 93 Points
For a chardonnay with a fair amount of oak and butter, and a generally heavy flavor profile, this still manages to come across as balanced. A "dark" rendition of chardonnay with enough of a resinous lift on the finish, and supporting acidity, to keep it from being overbearing. New world in style, but one of the better examples I've had in quite awhile.
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5/2/2013 - beezer6 wrote: 91 Points
Nice medium bodied Chard. Absolutely California but absolutely NOT Napa.
Mineral core with sweet lemon, candied lime and some real gorgeous yellow flower accents.
Long finish with a kiss of oak. Very nice but Parker overrates these bottlings by a bit.
Still cannot find many better California Chardonnay at this price.
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5/1/2013 - FandL Likes this wine: 94 Points
Crab feed dinner. Paired great.
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4/8/2013 - Italiana wrote: 89 Points
I remember the previous bottles as richer than this one. This bottle a bit lean, with tart citrus predominating. Makes me wonder if this vintage is already past its drinking window?
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3/14/2013 - CamWheeler wrote: 92 Points
USA Cult and Wines of Interest (Sydney, Australia): Flint, matchstick and pear aromas with some ginger and vanilla. Great structure to the palate, with some layers of complexity and it shows fine length. More interesting texturally than the Home Block and Amphitheatre Block that it was served next to, this improved with air and I really enjoyed it.
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3/8/2013 - sterin Likes this wine: 91 Points
Needs time
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1/21/2013 - jc-mmb wrote: 90 Points
non blind. nice colr and nose of stone and steel with hints of oak and vanilla. mouthfeels is burgundian to me with predominacne of stoney character with nice yellow fruit and acid. mouthfeel tells all as this seemed a bit out of balance. while the fruit is there, the tartness and stoney minerality dominate. not much oak character tonight - missing some buttery, vanilla character. finish is shorter than i'd like but very good none the less. too young? decant?
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1/20/2013 - ejca wrote:
was part of a tasting at Noe Valley WM, really liked the clean taste, will buy it soon.
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12/30/2012 - Italiana Likes this wine: 92 Points
I really enjoyed the restraint of this wine--everything in balance and a pleasure to drink.
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12/13/2012 - brianofthevine wrote: 93 Points
Rich and creamy almost lemon curd and citrus, green apple, mineral notes, long finish.
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11/29/2012 - Vino Me wrote: 87 Points
Opened by LostVerse. The first Varner wine which I have had. Thought the nose was somewhat muted. Notes of oak and white pepper with some apple. Too heavy for me. 87 points.
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11/26/2012 - AllRed wrote: 91 Points
Dinner with xhoser (Topaz Cafe, Burr Ridge): Deep color. Aromas of butterscotch, hazelnut, vanilla and apple. Medium- to full-bodied, featuring toasted almond and apple flavors, with an intriguing caramel quality in the finish. Young. Drink 2015+. Thanks m/m tlv.
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11/26/2012 - thelostverse wrote: 93 Points
Opened at Topaz with CWM and xhoser. This was an inadvertent grab, and still too young. I find that I like these a little on the warmer side than usual. Notes of green apples, pears and mineral. I've got to leave these alone for awhile.
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11/26/2012 - DanTheRhoneFan Likes this wine: 92 Points
Clean and Crisp. Pear and a touch of honey. Paired beautifully with crab cakes, scallops, and a squash soup.
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11/14/2012 - FandL wrote: 93 Points
OMG, this is a wonderful buttery chardonnary. Just hint of oak. Paired with crab dinner, asiago cheese, and a buttery lemon cake desert. Perfect.
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11/4/2012 - 560 B&W wrote: 90 Points
A bit too much oak
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10/17/2012 - rocknroller wrote: 92 Points
Pale gold color. Pnp. Drank 2 glasses over 90 minutes. Improved as approached room temp, nose has apple, pear, minerals, subtle toasted oak. The palate is medium bodied, graceful, apple, citrus, good balance, medium plus finish. Very good, but perhaps a little cellar time would add some nuances. Expected more. 91+ to 92pts.
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9/23/2012 - whits wrote: 94 Points
fresh scents of white peach, green apples and pears, the palate is full with complex Chardonnay fruit, full with energy, full, but not heavy, structured, backed by strong acid, racy acid, age-worthy but also delicious now, great with food, so very well made, will satisfy the thirsty and collectors alike
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9/22/2012 - FandL wrote: 93 Points
Paired with a dungenese crab dinner. Perfect. The buttery flavor pairs well with the crab with butter. NOT oaky. Fresh and clean and has a light straw color. This is the BEST chardonnay I have had. Ever.
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9/5/2012 - CRAUBER4242 wrote: 92 Points
A very nice chard with notes of green apple, apricot and minerals following suit on the mouth that had a nice salinity.
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