Delicious. A racier, juicer Aubert filled with tropical fruits - think pineapple, passion fruit - and toasted coconut. Finishes with sweet oak and a charcoal minerality. I would pair this with chilled shellfish for a summer lunch.
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Oxidized. Golden color. Nose got worse with air. Dumped. What a disappointment. I'm shocked to have an Aubert die so "young". The cork looked good and the bottle was always stored well.
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Spring time! 2011 Aubert Ritchie Chardonnay will do the trick. All peach, tropical fruit, creme brûlée and buttered popcorn. Took almost 2 hours to come alive but then lit up.
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Drank over 2 days in Copake. Aubert is always big and rich in its style, and this wine was no exception. Tons of ripe tropical fruit here, along with pears and some caramel up front. There's still a taste of oak here, but also fairly crisp acidity (more apparent than usual from this producer), which I find a good thing as it balances against the ripeness of the fruit, and overall unctuousness of this wine. It's very hot though--15.1%, and I ask is that really necessary? Btw, the wine I found to better, more interesting and complex on the 2nd day when it had been open and warmed. Still very hot, but I like the wine nonetheless.
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Rich, pleasant tropical fruit, cedar, vanilla aroma. Rich pear and tropical fruit nectar, integrated oak, with a mineral finish. Bigger style, well balanced.
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G5; 4.5+8.5+4.5+8.5+8.5+4.5+4.5=93+; Dark golden color with beautiful radiance. Pear, peach, rich florals with a bit of smokiness on the nose. Mouthfeel is super smooth, oily, with a slight acidic tartness on the finish. Flavors are rich, creamy with lots of orchard fruit, raw vanilla, and a touch of the tropical along with a bit of smoked salumi. Finish is medium-long, smooth, unctuous, without alcohol heat despite its 15.1%. Can't fault a wine that has lots of fruit balanced against its minerality, integrated tannin, and acid, and also keeps its high alcohol under control! Basically popped, poured, drank. Evolved nicely from refer temp, through cellar temp range. Aromatics and finish start to get edgy as it warms to room temp, and it probably shows its best at cellar temp range. This is in a really nice drinking spot now.
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With opening and decanting, then drinking at optimal temperature this really shined. Rich. multilayered very lightly oaked with an amazing finish. Did do better with the decant and time.
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Had this on two nights, Coravin glasses on both occasions, clean crisp steel and stones with very nice fruit that contains peaches, pear, apples, subtle caramel and nicely touched by vanilla. Do not drink cold!
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Awesome this evening and for some the white WOTN. Incredible rich with nutty umaminess, peaches and good acidity to keep everything in balance. Still exuberant and precise on day 2 this holds better than one might have expected.
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Sun baked golden fruit, slight nutty palate veering into toffee notes (but not caramelized), but this lacks the cut, definition and acidity of a good White Burgundy and seems to me as just slightly passed peak. Not especially impressed and would suggest drink now. Family bbq in Scarsdale with the Saadons.
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We thought this wine was "Absolutely smokin" last year and it absolutely still is. Beautiful color, fantastic nose, and delicious. Rich fruit in the nose and flavor. Nectarines, peaches, apricots, peaches, figs and a hint of nuttiness in the finish. Perfectly balanced with nice complexity and a long smooth finish. 95/96
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Wow. This is at peak. Beautiful golden hue. The oak and fruit were so perfectly integrated that I would have loved to see this as a ringer in a flight of Montrachet. The balance here was just awesome. It did not have the savory complexity I get from the Lauren bottling, but I'm nitpicking. This was great.
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I found that the oak may be a bit too powerful for my taste here. I know it is an Aubert but still. Once that oakyness dissipates, there are notes of creamy peaches and red apples that close with a hint of roasted almonds.
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Straw yellow. Perfectly balanced apple, peach, tropical fruit with well integrated oak and acidity. Great bottle in a difficult year. Drinking well now.
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Absolutely smokin' right now and a perfect pairing with chicken cordon bleu. Rich fruit in the nose and flavor. Nectarines, peaches, apricots, peaches, figs and a hint of nuttiness in the finish. Very well balanced wine showing nice complexity and a long smooth finish. Delicious!
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Amazing Chardonnay which is now at its peak. Very rich bouquet with almonds, vanilla, flowers, butter, peach and other stone fruit. The palate is very creamy, but it’s also quite precise with a good acidic backbone. What makes this full-bodied wine great is that beside its voluptuousness it is light on its feet. I would drink it now and over the next 5 years. It was the make up wine for Germany’s historical early loss during the soccer World Cup...
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Yellow color with a bouquet and flavor of citrus, pear-apple, toast, and some butterscotch. Good balance and definition but not quite as opulent as the best Auberts and not as smooth on the palate. Still very enjoyable.
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big and grand cru like with its layers of fruit and long finish and persistence. but its def a californian in terms of its fruit profile. powerful lush chardonnay.
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Yellow color with a bouquet and flavor of toast and minerals with a bit of butterscotch. Good balance and depth with a fairly long finish. Very nice wine, just missing a wow. Similar to first bottle.
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Decanted for ~45 minutes. The nose revealed pineapple and butterscotch. These followed on the palate, along with stone fruits, oak, some minerality, and medium acidity. All of this in a medium plus mouthfeel, well integrated, well made wine with a bit more oak than we like. Could hold for several more years.
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Yellow color with a bouquet and flavor of toast, minerals, and hints of butterscotch. Very big wine with nice supporting acidity and considerable nuance. Good balance with a long finish. Very nice wine to start of the New Year.
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not going to score as I had a bit of a head cold - but this seemed a little less crisp than most Aubert bottles we have had, lush and rich to the point of oiliness, with tropical and citrus notes
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Thanksgiving dinner, opened after a somewhat flawed bottle of 2010 Aubert Larry Hyde.
Consistent with prior notes: "Medium gold, clean and translucent. Palate of poached apples, pineapple, citrus, toasted oak, burnt sugar. Luxurious mouthfeel, rich and creamy. Oak is nicely integrated."
For sure this needs the air time and was better 30 minutes after opening. We had to PnP as the crowd wouldn't wait after I "threw a flag" on the first bottle..:)
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Rich, concentrated, unctuous and layered. Pinepple, stone fruits, and tropical notes, with minerally wet stone and good balance of acid to fruit to that typical CA chard creamy character. Good restraint of oak.
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huge wine. side by side with a Berthelemot puligny montrachet la garenne - the aubert is very american - big, lush, lots more oak, lots more fruit. as well made as this is, i found the puligny more to my liking.
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Brought this to celebrate Rowena and Bill's 25th wedding anniversary... first wine, quickly chilled, PnP drank over an hour.
Consistent with prior notes: "Medium gold, clean and translucent. Palate of poached apples, pineapple, citrus, toasted oak, burnt sugar. Luxurious mouthfeel, rich and creamy. Oak is nicely integrated."
This was really rich and expressive 30 minutes from opening, air time clearly benefited the wine... great wine from an (unfairly?) maligned vintage . Picked up more butterscotch/cream (from memory) than last bottle. Great stuff, drink over next 3 years...
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Delicious! Ready to drink, although no rush. Oak seemed to be under control. Not as amazing as the 2011 Aubert Lauren, but a very solid and delicious Chard.
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Valerie pulled this after (another) flawed Kistler, I had the bottom 1/3 of the bottle on day 2. A good "go-to" with friends as the older Aubert wines in my cellar have held up well. First bottle from this stash.
Medium gold, clean and translucent. Palate of paoched apples, pineapple, citrus, toasted oak, burnt sugar. Luxurious mouthfeel, rich and creamy. Oak is nicely integrated.
This is a great wine, as expected, even from a somewhat off vintage for California in general. Wine is in a good spot right now, should drink at this level for at least another 3 years
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10th Anniversary wine in Santorini. Our son's birth year, and had a great time reminiscing about our little fella. Very nice wine with a nose of orange, grapefruit, almonds and a hint of petroleum. The latter carried over to the palate, which had an oily element. Not off-putting, but persistent and notably different from a'13 Aubert Sugar Shack consumed previously which displayed wonderful fruit and a bit more of the peacock's tail. In addition to vineyard, vintage likely also at play here. Vanilla custard and apricot on the finish. Paired with fresh Aegean grilled octopus, yellow squash and an unforgettable sunset.
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This was just so well integrated, and drinking really well. No real formal notes taken at brunch, but this wine had some serious viscosity to it!! Had a light golden yellow hue, flavors of lemon, vanilla, a bit of tropical fruits and a very pleasant buttery flavor, & showed absolutely no signs of age. If any complaint was there, it was maybe the oak was just a tad overwhelming but not overpowering... still was showing plenty of great fruit. Thoroughly enjoyed by all, was gone in the blink of an eye!! Glad still one more to try... think these bottles easily have a number of years left in the sweet spot.
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Usually not one to make a note within months of a prior note, but this wine struck me differently this time. Seemed to be in a good spot, really elegant and balanced. Still green apple, creamy honey, tangs of lemon and a number of more complex flavors mostly of nuts. Long, perfectly balanced weighted.
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Chardonnay Shootout (Chez Kailin - Northbrook IL): Tasted blind in young Chardonnay flight. Ultra ripe and very tropical. Very good fruit concentration, just a little too much mango and pronounced new oak. Some heat on finish. Easy to ID as from New World.
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Wow. Love the 11 vintage at Aubert. This is balanced, and that's a key piece for me with Aubert Chards. Great flavor authority as usual here, with pineapple, smoke, toasty oak, green notes, hints of all things tropical sweet and delicious, and that big glycerine imbued mouthfeel. The clincher here is the acidity and brightness, especially for such a big wine. Great long finish. The brown butter is right on in smphelps' note below, and evolves to more linear crispness and detail after time in glass. Lasted three days, this is young. Not always a fan, but this is killer.
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Creamy, perhaps a bit too much for me, with brown butter, apple, and fennel-ish notes in the mouth, but still quite good with sophisticated nut flavors and a long elegant finish.
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--- COLOR: Lemony-gold, translucent (by careful decanting!) NOTE: Nose remains sweet citrus followed by a more subdued burnt marshmallow, graham, poached apple/pear (like a funky fruit-based S'More). Mouth is medium+ and full of ripe citrus, creme brulee, a little heat into the smoky finish. Good acidity, and the oak has mellowed a bit. This has improved in 9 months.
Note after 90 minutes in decanter. Honeysuckle and melon on the nose. Extremely rich mouth feel - imagine a dry sauternes. Big wine, but exceptional balance and no heat.
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Wow. Pure pleasure in a glass. High level of intense fruit and exceptionally well balanced. Lemons and white fruits. No astringency which I find at the back end of many otherwise nice Chardonnays. Seems like it can go a long time but this was my last bottle and I'm glad we drank it.
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Stunning chardonnay from Aubert. Immediately forthcoming on nose and palate, endless waves of lemon pastry cream, like a dessert without the sugar. Absolutely no fading over several hours. It's framed by oak but the intensity of the sweet fruit dominates so vanilla plays a supporting role. No butterscotch or coconut. There's no complexity either but it doesn't matter. Very California style with careful winemaking.
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A much better showing than my previous bottle. Rich notes of honeyed minerals with white stone fruits leading to a oily juicy mouth. With 1+ hours of air the wine darkened up, became richer and even more tasty.
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--- COLOR: Lemony-gold, translucent (by careful decanting!) NOTE: Nose is sweet citrus followed quickly by burnt marshmallow, graham, poached apple/pear (like a funky fruit-based S'More). Mouth is medium+ and full of ripe citrus, creme brulee, a little heat into the smoky finish. Good acidity, but a bit oak-heavy. Got one more bottle but I think I will sell it.
All the right components, rich fruit, buttery feel, oak, citrus, some acid, but this bottle flat and flabby. Almost felt like secondary fermentation in the bottle. I'll say flawed.
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Decanted for three hours to allow to breath. Wonderful bouquet of lemon, brioche and hints of butterscotch. This vintage shows a mouthful of flavor and a lovely long finish. This only got better with further air time which means she is a baby. EG WineArchitect, #Aubert
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Liquid Farm 4/4 Chardonnay Shootout (Lucio's BYOB, Houston): 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
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So many different things going on in this wine, but without stepping on one another or ending up muddled. Lots of fresh fruit and light spice and a long, full finish. Honeysuckle, a little citrus aftertaste.
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Loved this wine. Pale gold in color with a soft delicate nose of citrus and stone fruit. Started a little closed but opened up and became a luscious rich wine with peach nectarine and tropical fruit. All with a foundation of acid and minerality that was perfectly in balance. You could feel the richness of the new oak but it was invisible on the palate. Drank this side by side with the Boswell 2011 Ritchie and it was a great comparison. Where the oak was in your face with the Boswell, it never was a thought with the Aubert. The Aubert was my choice but it was pretty evenly split between the two. As an aside, I really do prefer Aubert's wine at a slightly elevated temperature. I think it lets all the stone and tropical fruit shine and mutes the acidity.
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Shimmering gold color. Kafir line meets peach and butterscotch nose. Just the right balance of acidity and lushness. Rich long finish. Tasted at winery. 5+ years easy.
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Much lighter than any Aubert I've had before, almost whimpy which is not what I want from an Aubert. Oak galore (in a light way) with smoke, lemon and some tropic fruit mixed in. Overall I was disappointed and glad I didn't buy this vintage.
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2011 Richie Pretty nose shows bright dry edgy petrol riesling like quality. Fresh clean palate staining minerality with good dry edgy character. Distinct oily like character. Delicate with slightly chewy finish. Quite young and maybe a tad closed. 92
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6/24/2023 - Jonathan T Likes this wine: 94 Points
Delicious. A racier, juicer Aubert filled with tropical fruits - think pineapple, passion fruit - and toasted coconut. Finishes with sweet oak and a charcoal minerality. I would pair this with chilled shellfish for a summer lunch.
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4/30/2022 - VinoCast wrote:
Rich and buttery. Went well with oysters
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3/26/2022 - PortFanatic wrote: flawed
Oxidized. Golden color. Nose got worse with air. Dumped. What a disappointment. I'm shocked to have an Aubert die so "young". The cork looked good and the bottle was always stored well.
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12/25/2021 - jlgnml Likes this wine: 95 Points
Brilliant color and still does not disappoint.
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11/27/2021 - jlgnml Likes this wine: 92 Points
Some heat damage. Suspected as the color was darker. Still good to drink.
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6/4/2021 - jlgnml wrote: 95 Points
Out of magnum. Opulent, drank over 2 hours and only got better with more richness on the palate and finish.
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3/21/2021 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Spring time! 2011 Aubert Ritchie Chardonnay will do the trick. All peach, tropical fruit, creme brûlée and buttered popcorn. Took almost 2 hours to come alive but then lit up.
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2/6/2021 - jlgnml Likes this wine: 92 Points
A bit off initially, then opened. Drink
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2/1/2021 - 356jae@gmail.com Likes this wine:
VG
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1/8/2021 - rustyRudy wrote: 95 Points
Beautiful golden in color. Caramel, mango, pineapple, stones, and some vanilla and oak on the finish. Terrific wine from a challenging vintage.
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10/1/2020 - jlgnml Likes this wine: 93 Points
P&P and drank really well on a cold fall day.
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9/28/2020 - cephomer Likes this wine: 91 Points
Drank over 2 days in Copake. Aubert is always big and rich in its style, and this wine was no exception. Tons of ripe tropical fruit here, along with pears and some caramel up front. There's still a taste of oak here, but also fairly crisp acidity (more apparent than usual from this producer), which I find a good thing as it balances against the ripeness of the fruit, and overall unctuousness of this wine. It's very hot though--15.1%, and I ask is that really necessary? Btw, the wine I found to better, more interesting and complex on the 2nd day when it had been open and warmed. Still very hot, but I like the wine nonetheless.
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9/22/2020 - beerenauslese Likes this wine: 95 Points
Rich, pleasant tropical fruit, cedar, vanilla aroma. Rich pear and tropical fruit nectar, integrated oak, with a mineral finish. Bigger style, well balanced.
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7/16/2020 - TGOT Likes this wine: 94 Points
End of life, but given enough time, it opened up beautifully.
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5/26/2020 - learningandenjoying Likes this wine: 93 Points
G5; 4.5+8.5+4.5+8.5+8.5+4.5+4.5=93+; Dark golden color with beautiful radiance. Pear, peach, rich florals with a bit of smokiness on the nose. Mouthfeel is super smooth, oily, with a slight acidic tartness on the finish. Flavors are rich, creamy with lots of orchard fruit, raw vanilla, and a touch of the tropical along with a bit of smoked salumi. Finish is medium-long, smooth, unctuous, without alcohol heat despite its 15.1%. Can't fault a wine that has lots of fruit balanced against its minerality, integrated tannin, and acid, and also keeps its high alcohol under control! Basically popped, poured, drank. Evolved nicely from refer temp, through cellar temp range. Aromatics and finish start to get edgy as it warms to room temp, and it probably shows its best at cellar temp range. This is in a really nice drinking spot now.
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2/7/2020 - rustyRudy Likes this wine: 96 Points
With opening and decanting, then drinking at optimal temperature this really shined. Rich. multilayered very lightly oaked with an amazing finish. Did do better with the decant and time.
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2/5/2020 - rustyRudy Likes this wine: 95 Points
Had this on two nights, Coravin glasses on both occasions, clean crisp steel and stones with very nice fruit that contains peaches, pear, apples, subtle caramel and nicely touched by vanilla. Do not drink cold!
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1/5/2020 - Klugi Wine Likes this wine: 97 Points
Awesome this evening and for some the white WOTN. Incredible rich with nutty umaminess, peaches and good acidity to keep everything in balance. Still exuberant and precise on day 2 this holds better than one might have expected.
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11/28/2019 - jlgnml Likes this wine: 94 Points
Clean color for its age, smooth, flavorful, just terrific. Great way to start Thanksgiving on the beach in FL.
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10/14/2019 - lucaslabelle wrote: 95 Points
Delicious, layered and complex. Lots of time left on these. Bravo!
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10/5/2019 - davidsm Likes this wine: 93 Points
Losing some of its character at this age but still a good drink. I wouldn’t hold these for much longer though.
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7/21/2019 - Pknut wrote:
Sun baked golden fruit, slight nutty palate veering into toffee notes (but not caramelized), but this lacks the cut, definition and acidity of a good White Burgundy and seems to me as just slightly passed peak. Not especially impressed and would suggest drink now. Family bbq in Scarsdale with the Saadons.
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7/20/2019 - buckeye76 Likes this wine: 95 Points
We thought this wine was "Absolutely smokin" last year and it absolutely still is. Beautiful color, fantastic nose, and delicious. Rich fruit in the nose and flavor. Nectarines, peaches, apricots, peaches, figs and a hint of nuttiness in the finish. Perfectly balanced with nice complexity and a long smooth finish. 95/96
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6/10/2019 - Michael T. Zoppo Likes this wine:
Wow. This is at peak. Beautiful golden hue. The oak and fruit were so perfectly integrated that I would have loved to see this as a ringer in a flight of Montrachet. The balance here was just awesome. It did not have the savory complexity I get from the Lauren bottling, but I'm nitpicking. This was great.
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4/2/2019 - tfesmgk Likes this wine: 93 Points
Classic Albert chard. Wonderful balance of fruit, crispness, and oak.
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2/23/2019 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Peach, tropical fruit, tertiary nutty aged chard notes. Dig it. Buttered popcorn, creme brûlée
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1/21/2019 - IvanKrazy Likes this wine: 91 Points
I found that the oak may be a bit too powerful for my taste here. I know it is an Aubert but still. Once that oakyness dissipates, there are notes of creamy peaches and red apples that close with a hint of roasted almonds.
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12/23/2018 - M DU VIN Likes this wine: 95 Points
IMO, one of the best chardonnays made in California.
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12/17/2018 - rustyRudy Likes this wine: 95 Points
Straw yellow. Perfectly balanced apple, peach, tropical fruit with well integrated oak and acidity. Great bottle in a difficult year. Drinking well now.
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12/8/2018 - buckeye76 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Absolutely smokin' right now and a perfect pairing with chicken cordon bleu. Rich fruit in the nose and flavor. Nectarines, peaches, apricots, peaches, figs and a hint of nuttiness in the finish. Very well balanced wine showing nice complexity and a long smooth finish. Delicious!
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8/1/2018 - jlgnml Likes this wine: 90 Points
Darker color and since I bought this on line I would suspect poor storage. A bit flabby but as it was an Aubert it drank well.
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7/1/2018 - RichD2 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Just an incredibly great chardonnay, concentrated with impeccable balance in all elements.
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6/27/2018 - Klugi Wine Likes this wine: 95 Points
Amazing Chardonnay which is now at its peak. Very rich bouquet with almonds, vanilla, flowers, butter, peach and other stone fruit. The palate is very creamy, but it’s also quite precise with a good acidic backbone. What makes this full-bodied wine great is that beside its voluptuousness it is light on its feet.
I would drink it now and over the next 5 years.
It was the make up wine for Germany’s historical early loss during the soccer World Cup...
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6/20/2018 - tcosgriff Likes this wine: 93 Points
Yellow color with a bouquet and flavor of citrus, pear-apple, toast, and some butterscotch. Good balance and definition but not quite as opulent as the best Auberts and not as smooth on the palate. Still very enjoyable.
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6/17/2018 - winelover1808 Likes this wine: 93 Points
big and grand cru like with its layers of fruit and long finish and persistence. but its def a californian in terms of its fruit profile. powerful lush chardonnay.
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5/30/2018 - sawira wrote: 91 Points
Rich, oaky, tropical. Good but not great.
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5/6/2018 - tcosgriff Likes this wine: 94 Points
Yellow color with a bouquet and flavor of toast and minerals with a bit of butterscotch. Good balance and depth with a fairly long finish. Very nice wine, just missing a wow. Similar to first bottle.
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4/1/2018 - Burgundy Al wrote: 89 Points
Ripe and tropical fruit with very good weight and length. Modest structure makes this best to enjoy young before the wine's freshness fades.
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3/11/2018 - cweiner Likes this wine: 96 Points
So sad. The last of a really great chardonnay.
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2/14/2018 - VlgJeff wrote: 91 Points
Decanted for ~45 minutes. The nose revealed pineapple and butterscotch. These followed on the palate, along with stone fruits, oak, some minerality, and medium acidity. All of this in a medium plus mouthfeel, well integrated, well made wine with a bit more oak than we like. Could hold for several more years.
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1/8/2018 - tcosgriff Likes this wine: 94 Points
Yellow color with a bouquet and flavor of toast, minerals, and hints of butterscotch. Very big wine with nice supporting acidity and considerable nuance. Good balance with a long finish. Very nice wine to start of the New Year.
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12/1/2017 - danielbleier wrote:
not going to score as I had a bit of a head cold - but this seemed a little less crisp than most Aubert bottles we have had, lush and rich to the point of oiliness, with tropical and citrus notes
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11/23/2017 - walkerjfw wrote: 94 Points
Thanksgiving dinner, opened after a somewhat flawed bottle of 2010 Aubert Larry Hyde.
Consistent with prior notes: "Medium gold, clean and translucent. Palate of poached apples, pineapple, citrus, toasted oak, burnt sugar. Luxurious mouthfeel, rich and creamy. Oak is nicely integrated."
For sure this needs the air time and was better 30 minutes after opening. We had to PnP as the crowd wouldn't wait after I "threw a flag" on the first bottle..:)
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10/15/2017 - tenn tea wrote:
Caramel
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9/22/2017 - sawira wrote: 94 Points
Superb. Quite tropical and ripe, but the oak is restrained and the finish deep and long. Another winner from Team Aubert.
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9/18/2017 - cweiner Likes this wine: 92 Points
Not in the zone of the 2010 Aubert Lauren, but an excellent CA chardonnay.
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7/1/2017 - Thief Likes this wine: 95 Points
Rich, concentrated, unctuous and layered. Pinepple, stone fruits, and tropical notes, with minerally wet stone and good balance of acid to fruit to that typical CA chard creamy character. Good restraint of oak.
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5/11/2017 - SteelerFan wrote: 92 Points
Drinking very well. Rich, medium body. Delicious.
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3/19/2017 - Thief Likes this wine: 94 Points
Rich, unctuous, and layered pineapple, citrus, and other tropical fruits with wet rocks, a la meursault, but still in a Californian style.
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3/18/2017 - winelover1808 wrote: 90 Points
huge wine. side by side with a Berthelemot puligny montrachet la garenne - the aubert is very american - big, lush, lots more oak, lots more fruit. as well made as this is, i found the puligny more to my liking.
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1/14/2017 - walkerjfw wrote: 94 Points
Brought this to celebrate Rowena and Bill's 25th wedding anniversary... first wine, quickly chilled, PnP drank over an hour.
Consistent with prior notes: "Medium gold, clean and translucent. Palate of poached apples, pineapple, citrus, toasted oak, burnt sugar. Luxurious mouthfeel, rich and creamy. Oak is nicely integrated."
This was really rich and expressive 30 minutes from opening, air time clearly benefited the wine... great wine from an (unfairly?) maligned vintage . Picked up more butterscotch/cream (from memory) than last bottle. Great stuff, drink over next 3 years...
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12/27/2016 - PinotPaul Likes this wine: 92 Points
Just simply wonderful.
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10/15/2016 - sawira wrote: 93 Points
A bit tropical, but I loved the richness, which is not my usual style.
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8/20/2016 - peterk wrote: 95 Points
Rich, beautiful Chardonnay - no need to wait.
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8/3/2016 - PortFanatic wrote: 93 Points
Delicious! Ready to drink, although no rush. Oak seemed to be under control. Not as amazing as the 2011 Aubert Lauren, but a very solid and delicious Chard.
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7/15/2016 - walkerjfw wrote: 94 Points
Valerie pulled this after (another) flawed Kistler, I had the bottom 1/3 of the bottle on day 2. A good "go-to" with friends as the older Aubert wines in my cellar have held up well. First bottle from this stash.
Medium gold, clean and translucent. Palate of paoched apples, pineapple, citrus, toasted oak, burnt sugar. Luxurious mouthfeel, rich and creamy. Oak is nicely integrated.
This is a great wine, as expected, even from a somewhat off vintage for California in general. Wine is in a good spot right now, should drink at this level for at least another 3 years
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7/3/2016 - Vino_Veritas wrote: 91 Points
10th Anniversary wine in Santorini. Our son's birth year, and had a great time reminiscing about our little fella. Very nice wine with a nose of orange, grapefruit, almonds and a hint of petroleum. The latter carried over to the palate, which had an oily element. Not off-putting, but persistent and notably different from a'13 Aubert Sugar Shack consumed previously which displayed wonderful fruit and a bit more of the peacock's tail. In addition to vineyard, vintage likely also at play here. Vanilla custard and apricot on the finish. Paired with fresh Aegean grilled octopus, yellow squash and an unforgettable sunset.
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6/25/2016 - Cabernet4me2 Likes this wine: 93 Points
This was just so well integrated, and drinking really well. No real formal notes taken at brunch, but this wine had some serious viscosity to it!! Had a light golden yellow hue, flavors of lemon, vanilla, a bit of tropical fruits and a very pleasant buttery flavor, & showed absolutely no signs of age. If any complaint was there, it was maybe the oak was just a tad overwhelming but not overpowering... still was showing plenty of great fruit. Thoroughly enjoyed by all, was gone in the blink of an eye!! Glad still one more to try... think these bottles easily have a number of years left in the sweet spot.
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6/6/2016 - smphelps wrote: 94 Points
Usually not one to make a note within months of a prior note, but this wine struck me differently this time. Seemed to be in a good spot, really elegant and balanced. Still green apple, creamy honey, tangs of lemon and a number of more complex flavors mostly of nuts. Long, perfectly balanced weighted.
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5/31/2016 - Burgundy Al wrote: 87 Points
Chardonnay Shootout (Chez Kailin - Northbrook IL): Tasted blind in young Chardonnay flight. Ultra ripe and very tropical. Very good fruit concentration, just a little too much mango and pronounced new oak. Some heat on finish. Easy to ID as from New World.
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4/23/2016 - lvjohn Likes this wine: 93 Points
No notes. I recall it to be much better on its own than with food. Nice citrus notes especially lemon and a bit of vanilla. Nice finish too.
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4/14/2016 - sawira wrote: 95 Points
Wow. Love the 11 vintage at Aubert. This is balanced, and that's a key piece for me with Aubert Chards. Great flavor authority as usual here, with pineapple, smoke, toasty oak, green notes, hints of all things tropical sweet and delicious, and that big glycerine imbued mouthfeel. The clincher here is the acidity and brightness, especially for such a big wine. Great long finish. The brown butter is right on in smphelps' note below, and evolves to more linear crispness and detail after time in glass. Lasted three days, this is young. Not always a fan, but this is killer.
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4/3/2016 - smphelps wrote: 91 Points
Creamy, perhaps a bit too much for me, with brown butter, apple, and fennel-ish notes in the mouth, but still quite good with sophisticated nut flavors and a long elegant finish.
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3/26/2016 - tp096255 Likes this wine: 93 Points
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COLOR: Lemony-gold, translucent (by careful decanting!)
NOTE: Nose remains sweet citrus followed by a more subdued burnt marshmallow, graham, poached apple/pear (like a funky fruit-based S'More). Mouth is medium+ and full of ripe citrus, creme brulee, a little heat into the smoky finish. Good acidity, and the oak has mellowed a bit. This has improved in 9 months.
DECANT: 0-1hour
GLASS USED: Bordeaux
TASTE: 9.3
COST: 84
VALUE: 6.0
TRY AGAIN: now-2017
CORAVIN'D: Yes
PRE-POUR LEVEL: 85%
PAIRING: Granville Butternut Squash Soup (num nums!)
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1/12/2016 - cookie7 wrote: 94 Points
Note after 90 minutes in decanter. Honeysuckle and melon on the nose. Extremely rich mouth feel - imagine a dry sauternes. Big wine, but exceptional balance and no heat.
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11/20/2015 - mattiasjansson wrote: flawed
Not corked, but very flat. Drinkable but not at all like the usual Auberts.
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10/1/2015 - pismo45 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Wow. Pure pleasure in a glass. High level of intense fruit and exceptionally well balanced. Lemons and white fruits. No astringency which I find at the back end of many otherwise nice Chardonnays. Seems like it can go a long time but this was my last bottle and I'm glad we drank it.
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9/21/2015 - MLwine Likes this wine: 94 Points
Another terrific Aubert chardonnay, even from a so-so vintage. Balanced but rich with loads of character. Well done.
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8/29/2015 - sdr Likes this wine: 94 Points
Stunning chardonnay from Aubert. Immediately forthcoming on nose and palate, endless waves of lemon pastry cream, like a dessert without the sugar. Absolutely no fading over several hours. It's framed by oak but the intensity of the sweet fruit dominates so vanilla plays a supporting role. No butterscotch or coconut. There's no complexity either but it doesn't matter. Very California style with careful winemaking.
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7/27/2015 - CRAUBER4242 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Damn good!
A much better showing than my previous bottle. Rich notes of honeyed minerals with white stone fruits leading to a oily juicy mouth. With 1+ hours of air the wine darkened up, became richer and even more tasty.
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7/1/2015 - tp096255 Likes this wine: 92 Points
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COLOR: Lemony-gold, translucent (by careful decanting!)
NOTE: Nose is sweet citrus followed quickly by burnt marshmallow, graham, poached apple/pear (like a funky fruit-based S'More). Mouth is medium+ and full of ripe citrus, creme brulee, a little heat into the smoky finish. Good acidity, but a bit oak-heavy. Got one more bottle but I think I will sell it.
DECANT: 0-1hour
GLASS USED: Bordeaux
TASTE: 9.2
COST: 84
VALUE: 5.5
TRY AGAIN: now-2017
CORAVIN'D: Yes
PRE-POUR LEVEL: 100%
PAIRING:
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6/16/2015 - J @ y H @ c k Likes this wine:
No note. Do not remember pulling this wine but it's not there and I've never had a bad Aubert chard, so it must have been good.
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5/24/2015 - tinybubbles Likes this wine: 91 Points
Lemon, honey, white peach, oyster shell, and rocks. Still too much oak for my taste.
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2/22/2015 - ginfizz wrote: flawed
All the right components, rich fruit, buttery feel, oak, citrus, some acid, but this bottle flat and flabby. Almost felt like secondary fermentation in the bottle. I'll say flawed.
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1/1/2015 - WineArchitect Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted for three hours to allow to breath. Wonderful bouquet of lemon, brioche and hints of butterscotch. This vintage shows a mouthful of flavor and a lovely long finish. This only got better with further air time which means she is a baby. EG WineArchitect, #Aubert
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12/20/2014 - PinotPaul Likes this wine: 92 Points
Fabulous Chardonnay. Good fruit although not bright. Rich, luscious with well balanced oak. Wonderful finish.
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10/10/2014 - fdub Likes this wine: 92 Points
A bit too flashy for me. Doesn't have the tight acid that I normally get with the Aubert wines to counter balance the fleshy tropical fruits.
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4/28/2014 - Mike V wrote: 90 Points
Clean and delicious. Not with the usual intensity for a Ritchie. ? needs time
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4/4/2014 - GalvezGuy Likes this wine: 90 Points
Liquid Farm 4/4 Chardonnay Shootout (Lucio's BYOB, Houston): 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
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4/4/2014 - tooch wrote: 90 Points
Chardonnay Shootout & Dinner at Sun Wah (Domaine Wine Storage & Sun Wah - Chicago, IL): Typically not a wine that I find myself loving, but this seemed nicely balanced and fresh. Robust grapefruit and lemon tones with a somewhat waxy feel to it. Decent acidity on the finish. #guiltypleasure
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3/30/2014 - pakabear Does not like this wine: 89 Points
Still a huge disappointment given the producer and the vineyard, it's not a bad one but very average, lighter than usual and not all that complex.
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3/12/2014 - awise45 wrote: 95 Points
So many different things going on in this wine, but without stepping on one another or ending up muddled. Lots of fresh fruit and light spice and a long, full finish. Honeysuckle, a little citrus aftertaste.
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3/3/2014 - arniec Likes this wine: 95 Points
Really nice. Thick, rich, lush citrus flavors.
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3/1/2014 - JS1056 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Loved this wine. Pale gold in color with a soft delicate nose of citrus and stone fruit.
Started a little closed but opened up and became a luscious rich wine with peach nectarine and tropical fruit. All with a foundation of acid and minerality that was perfectly in balance. You could feel the richness of the new oak but it was invisible on the palate.
Drank this side by side with the Boswell 2011 Ritchie and it was a great comparison. Where the oak was in your face with the Boswell, it never was a thought with the Aubert. The Aubert was my choice but it was pretty evenly split between the two.
As an aside, I really do prefer Aubert's wine at a slightly elevated temperature. I think it lets all the stone and tropical fruit shine and mutes the acidity.
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2/2/2014 - Pheron wrote: 95 Points
- Yellow color and aromas of grapefruit. It's balanced with a medium body.
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10/16/2013 - LARich wrote: 95 Points
Shimmering gold color. Kafir line meets peach and butterscotch nose. Just the right balance of acidity and lushness. Rich long finish. Tasted at winery. 5+ years easy.
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9/23/2013 - awise45 wrote: 95 Points
So smooth and well balanced -- really exceptional.
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8/19/2013 - S R U D I N Likes this wine: 95 Points
Stunning golden color with a rich taste and lasting finish. This is a keeper.
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8/11/2013 - Gravity wrote: 96 Points
This Ritchie is drinking much better young than most vintages... Wow, great chard.
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7/17/2013 - pakabear Does not like this wine: 88 Points
Much lighter than any Aubert I've had before, almost whimpy which is not what I want from an Aubert. Oak galore (in a light way) with smoke, lemon and some tropic fruit mixed in. Overall I was disappointed and glad I didn't buy this vintage.
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7/17/2013 - dcwino wrote: 93 Points
RJ’s wine dinner – random wines – Krug, Salon, Leroy, Truchot, Dujac, La Turque, Chave, SQN and etc. (Mon Ami Gabi - Reston, VA): This closely resembles the 09 but all the elements have not come together yet which resulting in mineral expression, acidity and oak spice expressing separately. Fresh yellow fruits, mineral expression and oak. It will required a couple years to settle down.
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7/14/2013 - pdemaio wrote: 94 Points
super crisp and acid driven. Pure and ultra clean. Oak very much in check. lovely and elegant. Long finish.
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6/21/2013 - Alexepop wrote: 93 Points
- Yellow color and aromas of butterscotch and pineapple - Good stuff
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3/3/2013 - KenK Likes this wine: 92 Points
2011 Richie
Pretty nose shows bright dry edgy petrol riesling like quality. Fresh clean palate staining minerality with good dry edgy character. Distinct oily like character. Delicate with slightly chewy finish. Quite young and maybe a tad closed. 92
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