This has a struck match, reductive note on the nose. Lighter bodied than I expected. Some oak, saline, mineral, crossed with some nutty notes. Not sure what to make of this.
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Brought this to a BYOB Vietnamese place in central Massachusetts.
On the nose this has lots of crisp minerality, good hints of toasted oak, peach, and freshly cut lemons. The palate is rich, medium bodied, good crisp acidity, and very flavorful. Not too complex - but it doesn't try to be. Decent finish.
This is a wine that is great to have by itself or paired with something. Delicious, easy drinking, and very flavorful. It doesn't overpower, and also doesn't under deliver. Right on the money.
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The Hideout Lodge and Guest Ranch (Belgian owned), Shell WY. Limited notes. Fresh ripe white cherry and clean mineral core, some herbaceous and capsicum notes. Good weight without being OTT. Dry finish. À point - for drinking over the next year or so. Excellent.
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Seymour Wine Club Meeting 1/20/18 (Home of the Slywka's): Tasted blind. Aromas of nut, lime and beeswax. Got some flavors of shortbread, lemon and mineral. Ends with a nice 25+ finish. This was very Burgundian and I guessed White Burgundy. I have had Grgich Chardonnay before and have never been impressed but this was pretty nice. I gave this 92 points and this finished 4th on the night
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This was used in a Chicken Chasseur dish my wife made, so we drank the rest of it with the dinner. I didn't get as much of the green apple as prior bottle and it seemed a bit better balanced.
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Drank over two days. Yellow gold in the glass. Nose of lemon, green apple and tangerine. Flavors of mango, apple and stone fruit. Slightly tart. Rich. Robust. Balanced minerality and acidity with a hint of oiliness. Not my favorite Cali chardonnay but a really nice effort anyway.
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Fermented (using indigenous yeasts) & aged 10 mos in FR oak (60% neutral & 40% new barrels); Malolactic blocked; 13.5% ABV, 7.1 g/L T.A., & 3.32 pH; 30,832 cases produced.
N: Lemons/apples/toast forming an ATTRACTIVE pkg
P: Med, poss MF, body; Rndish entry with NICE frt/oak firmed by acidity which holds through the LONG, firm finish. While still VERY nice, I'd seriously consider drinking any I had ASAP as the lack of frt on the finish lends me to believe this MAY be in decline.™ 91 pts Jeannie Cho Lee, 90 ea CA Grapevine ('Very highly recommended'), Connoisseurs' Guide (1*), & Tanzer, and 85 WS. [As of mid Apr '19, wine-searcher still shows several sources from $35-$39.]
™Addendum: Since opining the above, I've 2x had the '14, NOW realizing this is MORE likely the OPPOSITE of being "in decline".
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I was expecting a good Chard from Grgich and this one lived up to the reputation. Very smooth, lightly oaked and balanced acidity (no pucker factor!). Stone fruit, green apple and a touch of minerality paired extremely well with pasta alfredo and worth the $38 at Sam's. We'll done!
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Flinty nose gives way to elegant aromas of jasmine, pears, and melons. Mid bodied and crisp, focused and taut, with an oh-so gentle kiss of oak. Green apple and lemon flavors are accentuated by a beam of juicy acidity. This is very Burgundian. Outstanding.
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This medium yellow/gold wine offers appealing vibrancy and intensity. Nectarine, green apple, marzipan and jasmine aromas are followed by similar flavors on a medium-bodied, freshly acidic palate. The wine's alcohol (listed as 13.5%) lurks quietly and the oak is nicely woven. Gaining momentum in the middle and closing with impressive length, this is testimony to how special California Chardonnay can be when it is not taken through malolactic fermentation and is concurrently not over-oaked. Drink now-2022.
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Very clear yellow color. Some oak on the nose. Nice acid on the tip of the tongue calms my fears about being overoaked. Lots of upfront fruit—stone fruit, citrus (lemonish). As indicated, oak is discernible, but it is certainly not over the top. Overall, this is a crisp, refreshing wine. I would compare it to a white Burgundy, but it is only slightly fruitier than I think of from Burgundy. There might be a hint of oxidation that would put off some people.
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Needs a little air. Lime, lemon, stone fruit, match stick, hay, guava, and very subtle wood on the nose. Lemon-lime, green apple, light tropical nuances, minerals, and a little hay and a hint of oak on the palate. Bright, tart acidity, very little oak, decent finish. Enjoyable Chardonnay in a refreshing, clean style.
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My notes on this bottle would be a parallel to those I wrote almost two years ago.
Grgich wines are very solid. The experience of drinking them is dependably predictable - which I suppose has its merits - though I prefer wines that evolve and reflect their organic origin.
Warning: bused on current experience, I would not age this wine longer. Drink it while it still retains the edge of its youth.
Rated 1 on a scale of -1 to 3.
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I really liked this wine. Had some hints of honeysuckle and lemon zest. Not too heavily oaked. Really easy drinking. Think I bought it at $40 ... would buy again at the same price.
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360 acres all biodynamically farmed. Mostly from the carneors and American canyon vineyards. The carneos stock is apparently the original wente clone.
97th is is about half the proud t off the estate. 100 barrel fermented with 30 percent new. And then they of course avoid malo. They have a very clever racking system that allows them not to less stir. Does I need. Small like white burgundy. And crisp and crunchy on the palate as well. And indeed. That is very good chardonnay. I could probably even use it crunchier. But it is still darn good. Works at $40.
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750ml PnP; Major sulfur aroma which mostly blew off after 15-20 minutes. Otherwise, slight chemical aroma surrounded by heavy oak. Flavors of lemon lime with slight chem and wood. Maybe I need to decant for a couple hours. Maybe not for me.
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Clear medium+ hay in colour; buttered green apple, lemon, and a slight hint of guavas and minerality on the nose. On the palate I am detecting some caramelized yellow apples and lemons and vanilla; the citrus really stands out. Medium+ bodied with a medium+ finish.
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I'm going to have to skip this year for Grgich. It's usually a guilty pleasure (old school Cali Chardonnay) but I'm not sure what style they were going for here. Not a lot of oak, maybe they were reacting to criticism of the CA style and trying something new. Oops. Just not much fruit flavor, overly acidic. I didn't like it enough to go beyond that in a review
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God, I love this Chardonnay. A bit more guava and honey than I remember from last year, but still plenty of sliced pears and apples. The mineral and ocean spray elements are gorgeous and the new oak accentuates rather than dominates the other elements in the wine. Crisp, long finish.
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Transluscent green/gold in color. Star bright. Green apples. Wet stone. Guava. And yes, hints of feral notes creep up in the background after some time. The strength here is the overall bright acidity which ties this together as a complete package from beginning to end.
Outstanding.
Sample for review.
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Green/grey color, almost a bit cloudy. Tropical notes first, pinapple, papaya and also lots of lime and pear. Fresh start, good acidity, very delicate yet full bodied. Crisp chardonnay, not dominated by oak or alcohol. Perfectly balanced flavors and hints of minerality on the finish. Would buy again. 91+
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Summary: It has all the flavors of a New World chardonnay. I don’t find myself too enthusiastic about the quality of the fruit, wood, acid, or finish. To me the wood sticks out like a sore thumb and then you’re left with tart malic on the finish and a bit less flavor / fruit than I’d like. Score: Around 8.5 -------------------- Full Sensory:
Visual: Clear, day-bright. Medium gold with reflections of straw in the glass, moderate concentration. No gas or sediment, moderate plus tears.
Nose: Riedel Vinum Pinot: Expressive, Tart. Wood (medium-done toast). Gabriel-Glas: Sweet, caramel, vanilla, lemon, toast - medium and burnt. The most clearly delineated and sharpest in focus. Zalto Bordeaux: Very nice. Sweet, tart, lemon curd, wood, slight mushroomy tone. Alcohol peeks through a bit.
N: Clean, moderate intensity. Ripe apple/pommaceous fruit, with a hint of lemon curd. Secondaries of medium-done toast, faint tones of burnt toast and caramel (oak - not sure if American or French - [It’s French oak - 40%]). Youthful. Moderate minus complexity.
P: What sticks out? Dry. Medium plus body. Medium plus alcohol. More pommaceous fruit, unripe pear, ripe yellow apple, a hint of fresh, just-ripe mango. Secondaries of moderate toast, faint burnt toast (evidence of some new oak - just sticks out as wood to me). Moderate plus acid - lively clean acid on the tail-end of the midpalate that turns into tart malic (makes sense - this didn’t undergo malo). Slight hint of bitterness - not sure if it’s phenolic, could be from wood. The finish is moderate minus - fruit fades into slightly bitter wood and tart malic acid. This wine has a nice balance - full yet vibrant. Not too hot, not too acidic, not too fruity, not too tart. Moderate minus complexity.
CA > Napa > American Canyon and Carneros vineyards. "We did not allow the Chardonnay to undergo malolactic fermentation, preserving its natural acidity."
Winemaker’s Notes Alcohol.............13.5% by volume Fermentation...indigenous yeast Harvest date....Sept. 4 - 28, 2012 Sugar ................22.8˚ Brix (average) [This is low!] Bottling date....August 2013 Release date.....December 2014 Total acid ........7.1 g/L pH ....................3.32 Time in oak......Fermented and aged 10 months Type of oak......French oak: [Makes sense - got more vanilla and toast. Reminded me of the HdV but not as clear, refined.] 60% neutral barrels 40% new barrels Production.......30,832 cases (12/750 ml.) Blend ...............100% Chardonnay
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Highly aromatic nose featuring very smoky, buttered popcorn and apple aromas. Palate is full-bodied and creamy with nice aroma replays. Crisp, balanced acids. Long finish. Score: 90+ pts
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Had at the vineyard while staring at the vines, so might have been a bit influenced by the surroundings but thought it was very good. Bright, flavorful, lively and very enjoyable. And I'm not typically partial to whites -- a good juice
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Classic Grgich rendition of Chardonnay. Pale, bright yellow green color, toast and a touch of oak on the nose, along with dusty chalk (the chalk becomes more evident as it warms) - very round and pleasing; tart, nicely acidic fresh; those oak/toast notes in good balance with the fruit - very round, flavorful, but not excessively assertive. Solid, consistent, a very decent bottle of wine and a very good drinking experience. Rated 1 on a scale of -1 to 3.
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Mixed Cali Whites - Blind (My Place - Washington, DC): Medium gold color. Bold nose with yellow apples and apricots, some honeyed notes but also showing bright, floral and oceanic elegance. Clean acid supports the pear, sliced green and yellow apples, add in some tart limes and honeysuckle. Bright minerality and oceanic elements makes it mouthwatering, while the oak-influenced notes are woven in with care. Long finish, clean and salty yet rich, this is a beautiful Chardonnay that would work with a diverse array of foods. 10 months in 40% new French oak, no maloactic fermentation.
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2/8/2024 - Outplaying wrote:
This has a struck match, reductive note on the nose. Lighter bodied than I expected. Some oak, saline, mineral, crossed with some nutty notes. Not sure what to make of this.
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11/19/2020 - namo wrote: 87 Points
This bottle was ok, but definitely over the top.
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5/9/2020 - AlphaMikeFoxtrot wrote: 85 Points
Older Grgich. Fruit is mostly gone, a lot of secondary stuff - butter, vanillas maybe a hint of apple still hanging on. Bet this was nice 5 years ago!
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1/11/2020 - Sailingsimon Likes this wine: 90 Points
Past its prime drink now
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7/6/2019 - Winiac wrote: 91 Points
Butter and popcorn with touch of smoke. Medium bodied and good back bone and acidity. Flavors not very focused, but very pleasant wine.
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6/2/2019 - pgrzesik Likes this wine: 89 Points
Brought this to a BYOB Vietnamese place in central Massachusetts.
On the nose this has lots of crisp minerality, good hints of toasted oak, peach, and freshly cut lemons. The palate is rich, medium bodied, good crisp acidity, and very flavorful. Not too complex - but it doesn't try to be. Decent finish.
This is a wine that is great to have by itself or paired with something. Delicious, easy drinking, and very flavorful. It doesn't overpower, and also doesn't under deliver. Right on the money.
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12/31/2018 - pkpjoe Likes this wine: 91 Points
Pretty good QPR, especially being from Napa.
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12/24/2018 - Kevin.Gardiner wrote: 94 Points
This wine was exceptional. Had it Christmas Eve with salmon. Very smooth chardonnay with excellent body and smooth finish.
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6/12/2018 - NickBurwood Likes this wine: 90 Points
The Hideout Lodge and Guest Ranch (Belgian owned), Shell WY. Limited notes.
Fresh ripe white cherry and clean mineral core, some herbaceous and capsicum notes. Good weight without being OTT. Dry finish.
À point - for drinking over the next year or so. Excellent.
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1/20/2018 - slywka7 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Seymour Wine Club Meeting 1/20/18 (Home of the Slywka's): Tasted blind. Aromas of nut, lime and beeswax. Got some flavors of shortbread, lemon and mineral. Ends with a nice 25+ finish. This was very Burgundian and I guessed White Burgundy. I have had Grgich Chardonnay before and have never been impressed but this was pretty nice. I gave this 92 points and this finished 4th on the night
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12/26/2017 - Alexwphilip Likes this wine: 91 Points
Never disappoints for Christmas dinner. Perfect with turkey and steamed vegetables!
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11/8/2017 - thelostverse wrote: 90 Points
This was used in a Chicken Chasseur dish my wife made, so we drank the rest of it with the dinner. I didn't get as much of the green apple as prior bottle and it seemed a bit better balanced.
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11/4/2017 - Tahlequahdave1972 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Drank over two days. Yellow gold in the glass. Nose of lemon, green apple and tangerine. Flavors of mango, apple and stone fruit. Slightly tart. Rich. Robust. Balanced minerality and acidity with a hint of oiliness. Not my favorite Cali chardonnay but a really nice effort anyway.
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10/15/2017 - Ryan3719 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Drinking really well right now, so enjoy if you have it in your cellar!
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7/25/2017 - srh Likes this wine:
Fermented (using indigenous yeasts) & aged 10 mos in FR oak (60% neutral & 40% new barrels); Malolactic blocked; 13.5% ABV, 7.1 g/L T.A., & 3.32 pH; 30,832 cases produced.
N: Lemons/apples/toast forming an ATTRACTIVE pkg
P: Med, poss MF, body; Rndish entry with NICE frt/oak firmed by acidity which holds through the LONG, firm finish. While still VERY nice, I'd seriously consider drinking any I had ASAP as the lack of frt on the finish lends me to believe this MAY be in decline.™ 91 pts Jeannie Cho Lee, 90 ea CA Grapevine ('Very highly recommended'), Connoisseurs' Guide (1*), & Tanzer, and 85 WS. [As of mid Apr '19, wine-searcher still shows several sources from $35-$39.]
™Addendum: Since opining the above, I've 2x had the '14, NOW realizing this is MORE likely the OPPOSITE of being "in decline".
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6/10/2017 - Bailey05 Likes this wine: 80 Points
Very good
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4/20/2017 - vespasian wrote:
Ripe apple, pear and citrus. Touch of honeydew melon and spice, some lactic notes; rich style, good acidity, quite a dry finish.
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11/8/2016 - Chucksw wrote:
This bottle may have had a small cork leak. Not the same as previous ones. Good but not great.
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8/4/2016 - psundberg Likes this wine: 91 Points
I was expecting a good Chard from Grgich and this one lived up to the reputation. Very smooth, lightly oaked and balanced acidity (no pucker factor!). Stone fruit, green apple and a touch of minerality paired extremely well with pasta alfredo and worth the $38 at Sam's. We'll done!
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7/2/2016 - Gjagai Likes this wine: 92 Points
An excellent chardonnay. Very buttery lots of fruit.
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6/23/2016 - Baron Slick wrote: 93 Points
Flinty nose gives way to elegant aromas of jasmine, pears, and melons. Mid bodied and crisp, focused and taut, with an oh-so gentle kiss of oak. Green apple and lemon flavors are accentuated by a beam of juicy acidity. This is very Burgundian. Outstanding.
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5/20/2016 - La Cave d'Argent Likes this wine: 93 Points
This medium yellow/gold wine offers appealing vibrancy and intensity. Nectarine, green apple, marzipan and jasmine aromas are followed by similar flavors on a medium-bodied, freshly acidic palate. The wine's alcohol (listed as 13.5%) lurks quietly and the oak is nicely woven. Gaining momentum in the middle and closing with impressive length, this is testimony to how special California Chardonnay can be when it is not taken through malolactic fermentation and is concurrently not over-oaked. Drink now-2022.
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5/13/2016 - EMark Likes this wine:
Very clear yellow color. Some oak on the nose. Nice acid on the tip of the tongue calms my fears about being overoaked. Lots of upfront fruit—stone fruit, citrus (lemonish). As indicated, oak is discernible, but it is certainly not over the top. Overall, this is a crisp, refreshing wine. I would compare it to a white Burgundy, but it is only slightly fruitier than I think of from Burgundy. There might be a hint of oxidation that would put off some people.
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4/30/2016 - rmh66 wrote: 90 Points
Needs a little air. Lime, lemon, stone fruit, match stick, hay, guava, and very subtle wood on the nose. Lemon-lime, green apple, light tropical nuances, minerals, and a little hay and a hint of oak on the palate. Bright, tart acidity, very little oak, decent finish. Enjoyable Chardonnay in a refreshing, clean style.
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4/22/2016 - nborris Does not like this wine: 80 Points
What a disappointment. Pungent nose of rotten eggs and sulphur.
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4/2/2016 - IJC Likes this wine:
My notes on this bottle would be a parallel to those I wrote almost two years ago.
Grgich wines are very solid. The experience of drinking them is dependably predictable - which I suppose has its merits - though I prefer wines that evolve and reflect their organic origin.
Warning: bused on current experience, I would not age this wine longer. Drink it while it still retains the edge of its youth.
Rated 1 on a scale of -1 to 3.
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3/27/2016 - bobadopolis Likes this wine: 92 Points
I really liked this wine. Had some hints of honeysuckle and lemon zest. Not too heavily oaked. Really easy drinking. Think I bought it at $40 ... would buy again at the same price.
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3/23/2016 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
360 acres all biodynamically farmed. Mostly from the carneors and American canyon vineyards. The carneos stock is apparently the original wente clone.
97th is is about half the proud t off the estate. 100 barrel fermented with 30 percent new. And then they of course avoid malo. They have a very clever racking system that allows them not to less stir. Does I need. Small like white burgundy. And crisp and crunchy on the palate as well. And indeed. That is very good chardonnay. I could probably even use it crunchier. But it is still darn good. Works at $40.
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3/13/2016 - boylan wrote: 80 Points
Hugely disappointing. Sulfury aroma.
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2/11/2016 - lachord Likes this wine: 88 Points
Nice balance with hints of stone fruits particularly peach.
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2/2/2016 - willthethrill Likes this wine: 90 Points
I liked this perhaps because it was neither really oaky or really citrusy or really dry. Just a nice light Chardonnay.
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11/30/2015 - thelostverse wrote: 89 Points
Pop and pour. Green apple with a hit of oak. Simple but nice.
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11/25/2015 - BornToRhone Does not like this wine: 86 Points
750ml PnP; Major sulfur aroma which mostly blew off after 15-20 minutes. Otherwise, slight chemical aroma surrounded by heavy oak.
Flavors of lemon lime with slight chem and wood. Maybe I need to decant for a couple hours. Maybe not for me.
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11/20/2015 - AMC Eagle wrote: 91 Points
Clear medium+ hay in colour; buttered green apple, lemon, and a slight hint of guavas and minerality on the nose. On the palate I am detecting some caramelized yellow apples and lemons and vanilla; the citrus really stands out. Medium+ bodied with a medium+ finish.
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9/30/2015 - colleenjoy Does not like this wine: 85 Points
I'm going to have to skip this year for Grgich. It's usually a guilty pleasure (old school Cali Chardonnay) but I'm not sure what style they were going for here. Not a lot of oak, maybe they were reacting to criticism of the CA style and trying something new. Oops. Just not much fruit flavor, overly acidic. I didn't like it enough to go beyond that in a review
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9/25/2015 - lovefieldezride Likes this wine: 90 Points
Tasted in wine class and paired with chicken breast.
First off, I am not a fan of white wines, I'm more of a big bold red kind of guy.
Nose was very green apple and sharp.
Middle: Smooth and detected French oak.
Finish: On second tasting, it fell off rather too quick.
Tasted very fresh. A solid 89-90.
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8/17/2015 - isaacjamesbaker wrote: 91 Points
God, I love this Chardonnay. A bit more guava and honey than I remember from last year, but still plenty of sliced pears and apples. The mineral and ocean spray elements are gorgeous and the new oak accentuates rather than dominates the other elements in the wine. Crisp, long finish.
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6/16/2015 - Double-A Likes this wine: 95 Points
Complex, citrus, tropical fruit, nut, smoke, mineral and spice nose. Flavourful, assertive and distinct palate.
5/5
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5/14/2015 - RobertDwyer wrote: 90 Points
This is a classy, well-made affair.
Transluscent green/gold in color. Star bright.
Green apples. Wet stone. Guava.
And yes, hints of feral notes creep up in the background after some time.
The strength here is the overall bright acidity which ties this together as a complete package from beginning to end.
Outstanding.
Sample for review.
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5/9/2015 - askoje wrote: 91 Points
Green/grey color, almost a bit cloudy.
Tropical notes first, pinapple, papaya and also lots of lime and pear.
Fresh start, good acidity, very delicate yet full bodied. Crisp chardonnay, not dominated by oak or alcohol. Perfectly balanced flavors and hints of minerality on the finish. Would buy again.
91+
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4/30/2015 - RajivAyyangar wrote: 85 Points
Comparing Glassware - Riedel, Zalto, and Gabriel-Glas.; 4/29/2015-5/3/2015 (Home): @home out of a .375
Comparing 3 glasses:
Riedel Vinum Pinot Noir
Zalto Bdx
Gabriel-Glas machined
Summary: It has all the flavors of a New World chardonnay. I don’t find myself too enthusiastic about the quality of the fruit, wood, acid, or finish. To me the wood sticks out like a sore thumb and then you’re left with tart malic on the finish and a bit less flavor / fruit than I’d like.
Score: Around 8.5
--------------------
Full Sensory:
Visual:
Clear, day-bright.
Medium gold with reflections of straw in the glass, moderate concentration.
No gas or sediment, moderate plus tears.
Nose:
Riedel Vinum Pinot: Expressive, Tart. Wood (medium-done toast).
Gabriel-Glas: Sweet, caramel, vanilla, lemon, toast - medium and burnt. The most clearly delineated and sharpest in focus.
Zalto Bordeaux: Very nice. Sweet, tart, lemon curd, wood, slight mushroomy tone. Alcohol peeks through a bit.
N: Clean, moderate intensity.
Ripe apple/pommaceous fruit, with a hint of lemon curd.
Secondaries of medium-done toast, faint tones of burnt toast and caramel (oak - not sure if American or French - [It’s French oak - 40%]).
Youthful.
Moderate minus complexity.
P: What sticks out?
Dry.
Medium plus body. Medium plus alcohol.
More pommaceous fruit, unripe pear, ripe yellow apple, a hint of fresh, just-ripe mango.
Secondaries of moderate toast, faint burnt toast (evidence of some new oak - just sticks out as wood to me).
Moderate plus acid - lively clean acid on the tail-end of the midpalate that turns into tart malic (makes sense - this didn’t undergo malo). Slight hint of bitterness - not sure if it’s phenolic, could be from wood.
The finish is moderate minus - fruit fades into slightly bitter wood and tart malic acid.
This wine has a nice balance - full yet vibrant. Not too hot, not too acidic, not too fruity, not too tart.
Moderate minus complexity.
CA > Napa > American Canyon and Carneros vineyards.
"We did not allow the Chardonnay to undergo malolactic fermentation, preserving its natural acidity."
Winemaker’s Notes
Alcohol.............13.5% by volume
Fermentation...indigenous yeast
Harvest date....Sept. 4 - 28, 2012
Sugar ................22.8˚ Brix (average) [This is low!]
Bottling date....August 2013
Release date.....December 2014
Total acid ........7.1 g/L
pH ....................3.32
Time in oak......Fermented and aged
10 months
Type of oak......French oak: [Makes sense - got more vanilla and toast. Reminded me of the HdV but not as clear, refined.]
60% neutral barrels
40% new barrels
Production.......30,832 cases (12/750 ml.)
Blend ...............100% Chardonnay
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4/29/2015 - mplsbruin wrote: 87 Points
Okay chardonnay. Made to minimize oak and butter. But, I like that stuff.
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4/13/2015 - cono_sur Likes this wine: 90 Points
Highly aromatic nose featuring very smoky, buttered popcorn and apple aromas. Palate is full-bodied and creamy with nice aroma replays. Crisp, balanced acids. Long finish. Score: 90+ pts
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3/28/2015 - Bricks wrote: 90 Points
Had at the vineyard while staring at the vines, so might have been a bit influenced by the surroundings but thought it was very good. Bright, flavorful, lively and very enjoyable. And I'm not typically partial to whites -- a good juice
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12/16/2014 - IJC Likes this wine:
Classic Grgich rendition of Chardonnay. Pale, bright yellow green color, toast and a touch of oak on the nose, along with dusty chalk (the chalk becomes more evident as it warms) - very round and pleasing; tart, nicely acidic fresh; those oak/toast notes in good balance with the fruit - very round, flavorful, but not excessively assertive.
Solid, consistent, a very decent bottle of wine and a very good drinking experience.
Rated 1 on a scale of -1 to 3.
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12/1/2014 - isaacjamesbaker wrote: 91 Points
Mixed Cali Whites - Blind (My Place - Washington, DC): Medium gold color. Bold nose with yellow apples and apricots, some honeyed notes but also showing bright, floral and oceanic elegance. Clean acid supports the pear, sliced green and yellow apples, add in some tart limes and honeysuckle. Bright minerality and oceanic elements makes it mouthwatering, while the oak-influenced notes are woven in with care. Long finish, clean and salty yet rich, this is a beautiful Chardonnay that would work with a diverse array of foods. 10 months in 40% new French oak, no maloactic fermentation.
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