Very rich and flavorful, but also a bit heavy and starting to show its age. Citrus fruits, honey and popcorn flavors dominate with a very full body and not quite enough acidity remaining to keep it in balance. Good flavors but just a bit clumsy.
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Nice open nose of white fruits, honey and minerals. Palate is waxy with rich fruit and sufficient acidity to provide length and freshness. Drinking very nicely. Will consume my last bottle in the next ~1 year.
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Why can't more producers craft chards with the harmony, character and depth of this? I am not sure this should have been opened for at least a couple more years but it does not disappoint in it's present state of balanced beaut....
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My favorite Chard hands down. Flavors of lemon oil, buttered popcorn, leechee nuts just keep pumping out. Even on day two it's still delicious. I can't wait to try the 05's and 06's!
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Dinner with Friends (Our Place): Aromatically off and largely reticent with only alcohol / varnish notes coming through. The palate is more enjoyable with rich fruit and lively acidity nicely married together. Great mouthfeel. Apples, spice and minerals all working together. Palate improves with food (scallops). Very nice save the off nose. I hope the 14.3 abv isn't the issue (which is higher than 13.6 abv on the 05 home block). PUME
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Very nice chard, a wine I don't usually like very much. oak under control and nice acidic bite to the wine along w/ some sort of exotic pineapple. gladly drink more of this
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Like the 04 Varner Home Block, this combines rich, lovely fruit with dexterity and definition, a truly fantastic Chardonnay. The nose and early palate remind me of demi-sec Savennières, combining honey and almonds in a sweet package (without being too sweet). I prefer the Amphitheater a few degrees cooler than the Home to rein in the honey. The back end has a nice acidic lift and length to it that the Home does not, but the Home has a broader profile of fruit. Nod goes to the Home, but that might just be because I tried it first. Fairly priced in the $30+ range, I question whether Kistler et. al. are worth twice as much... although I also question how these Varners will age. They are sooooo good right now.
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This is a nice chard. I assume this had full malo due to the mouthfeel, but I do not know. Medium to full bodied. Nice with no toasty oak jutting out. Mostly a lemon cream and apple mouthful. A little peek of acidity towards the finish. I would have scored it higher and I do like it, but it does not have the complexity and flair of the Varner Home. A little sweeter impression than the home. Tasted a second bottle and it was quite sweet, quality but be aware of sweetness. Riesling proxy.
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8/10/2017 - TashNYC wrote: 93 Points
Cellar clean-up. We drank all these, several years ago, and they were delicious!
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1/1/2012 - zinnut wrote: flawed
Badly oxidizded. I thought this would go for years but it was gone.
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1/22/2011 - rickspicks wrote: 89 Points
Very rich and flavorful, but also a bit heavy and starting to show its age. Citrus fruits, honey and popcorn flavors dominate with a very full body and not quite enough acidity remaining to keep it in balance. Good flavors but just a bit clumsy.
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7/18/2010 - Nanda wrote: flawed
Oxidized
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7/19/2009 - Nanda wrote: 91 Points
Nice open nose of white fruits, honey and minerals. Palate is waxy with rich fruit and sufficient acidity to provide length and freshness. Drinking very nicely. Will consume my last bottle in the next ~1 year.
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4/8/2009 - srigisich wrote: 94 Points
Why can't more producers craft chards with the harmony, character and depth of this? I am not sure this should have been opened for at least a couple more years but it does not disappoint in it's present state of balanced beaut....
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4/30/2008 - g-man wrote: 94 Points
My favorite Chard hands down. Flavors of lemon oil, buttered popcorn, leechee nuts just keep pumping out. Even on day two it's still delicious. I can't wait to try the 05's and 06's!
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12/28/2007 - Nanda wrote: 88 Points
Dinner with Friends (Our Place): Aromatically off and largely reticent with only alcohol / varnish notes coming through. The palate is more enjoyable with rich fruit and lively acidity nicely married together. Great mouthfeel. Apples, spice and minerals all working together. Palate improves with food (scallops). Very nice save the off nose. I hope the 14.3 abv isn't the issue (which is higher than 13.6 abv on the 05 home block). PUME
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12/15/2007 - Tel007 wrote:
Nice wine. Should age well since it still has lots of stuffing
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8/6/2007 - Mr T wrote:
Similar to the last bottle. I like this very much
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6/2/2007 - NPWolfe wrote: 90 Points
Failed to make notes but remember it as a nice chardonnay.
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5/27/2007 - NPWolfe wrote: 91 Points
Did not make detailed notes, but I remember it as a hell of a bottle of wine.
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4/30/2007 - Mr T wrote: 93 Points
Very nice chard, a wine I don't usually like very much. oak under control and nice acidic bite to the wine along w/ some sort of exotic pineapple. gladly drink more of this
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1/27/2007 - silton wrote: 92 Points
Like the 04 Varner Home Block, this combines rich, lovely fruit with dexterity and definition, a truly fantastic Chardonnay. The nose and early palate remind me of demi-sec Savennières, combining honey and almonds in a sweet package (without being too sweet). I prefer the Amphitheater a few degrees cooler than the Home to rein in the honey. The back end has a nice acidic lift and length to it that the Home does not, but the Home has a broader profile of fruit. Nod goes to the Home, but that might just be because I tried it first. Fairly priced in the $30+ range, I question whether Kistler et. al. are worth twice as much... although I also question how these Varners will age. They are sooooo good right now.
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1/13/2007 - Hillbilly wrote: 92 Points
This is a nice chard. I assume this had full malo due to the mouthfeel, but I do not know. Medium to full bodied. Nice with no toasty oak jutting out. Mostly a lemon cream and apple mouthful. A little peek of acidity towards the finish. I would have scored it higher and I do like it, but it does not have the complexity and flair of the Varner Home. A little sweeter impression than the home. Tasted a second bottle and it was quite sweet, quality but be aware of sweetness. Riesling proxy.
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1/2/2007 - batesa wrote: 94 Points
Amazing is all I can say.
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9/19/2006 - steffenpelz wrote: 92 Points
Tasting Varner Wines with Jim Varner (Offices of Varner Wine in Menlo Park): Apple peel, champagne-like blanc-de-blanc flavors, toasty, white flower aromas and flavors. Feels like a theoretical blend of Meursault and Chablis. 33-35% new oak. Impressive wine.
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