Second go round, Coravined, started at 55, warmed slightly, on the deck, by itself. Absolutely beautiful! Don’t think California Chardonnay can get any better for my palate. I love the complexity of fruit, the balance, subtle oak and vanilla and the super long finish
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Guys night - course meal (Kevin and Vicki's house): Drank a small glass over an hour. Middle of the road stylistically, with some California and Burgundy qualities. Not as impressive as I thought/hoped it would be, obviously still nice. Maybe the Bouchard gave this wine difficult competition in the flight.
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PnP - I love Aubert! This is typical Sugar Shack, but also in a good place. I believe this is the biggest, butteriest, and oakiest Chardonnay in Aubert's stable. Having said that, it still shows great balance and minerality and is in no way over the top. Like most Aubert wines, it has aged gracefully and at nine years old, is in a great spot! 94+ to 95 for me, and that is pretty conservative, IMO.
Note: I paired this with a 2015 Kistler (Kistler Vineyard), and for me, the Aubert was slightly better.
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Guy's Night: Variety Pack (Rocknroller's (Kevin & Vicki's Place)): Light medium gold color. Followed a glass over 2 hours. Rich, baked apple, oak, opulent and buttery, apricot, cedar dust, sweet and spicy. Not in what I generally think of as a more dialed in Aubert style, and this seems to be trekking on the other side of the hill.
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first time with this vineyard and for me a relatively young vintage. Delicious P&P. Great color, good nose and wonderful palate feel. Hold, drink, buy.
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Brought to the event by Jason, a wonderful start! My first Sugar Shack. At the pnp, there's no mistaking this is a Cali chard. It is dripping in creamy, buttery oak. Over the course of 2 hours of air this improves considerably, shedding a lot of the oak and butter and revealing more vanilla cream and tropical fruits. Lemon curd especially. I wanted to taste the remaining bit in the glass later but it's the one wine Carol finished off for me!
Zoom with Mark and Jason (Atlanta/Naples/Minneapolis): My first Aubert and on first opening I was worried it was way too fruity and floral for my taste. But after just a minute I realized that while it was fruitier than my preferred Chardonnay style, this was pretty amazing. Intense floral and fruity aromas on the nose. Creamy and tropical fruits on the palate. A touch of reduction (which I like) and a long mineral finish. One of my favorite wines of the night. I have heard that most wines from this producer are leaner in in my preferred style, can't wait to try one. Thank you Jason--and success in getting me to score a Chardonnay higher than 93!
Zooming with some new friends!: PnP - What can I say, I love Aubert! This was my first Sugar Shack, and while distinctly Aubert, it is the most stereotypical CA Chardonnay in their stable, i.e., creamy, buttery and oaky of all their Chardonnays, of course all in moderation. The nose is sweet and floral with white flowers, citrus and hint of vanilla. The palate shows layers of Pear, melon, citrus (mostly Meyers lemon and a hint of orange, with plenty of minerality, hay and sweet toasted oak. Aubert is always a pleasure to drink! 95+ for me!
Nectarine, pineapple, and caramel richness comes in waves. Sugar Shack tends to be the most decadent offering from Aubert, and this is no exception. Drank wonderfully right away.
The wine looks yellow gold colored. The legs are medium. There is no sediment in the bottle. It smells like lemon, pineapple, melon, mineral, vanilla, orange blossom and biscuity. It tastes like lemon, pineapple, melon, mineral, stoniness, vanilla, orange blossom and biscuity. The body is medium/full. The wine has polished texture. The wine finishes long. The wine has medium acidity.
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So explosive. Really showing no age. Creamy and ripe with a touch of reduction on opening. Tropical with strong lemon pie notes on a love sappy finish.
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Lucky to go up the Sugar Shack ladder once again. Great salinity on this. Great notes of honeydew, mango, banana pudding, dried herbs on the nose and entry of the wine. The middle explodes here, showing a wonderful white flower with herb and yellow fruits. Full throttle. This was the best chard on the table, and that's saying something with a 13 Pahlmeyer Faire, 12 Marcassin Marcassin, and two 11 Kistlers ALSO on the table.
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This viscous and nutty Chardonnay is in a nice place right now, with an intriguing balance of fruit and acidity - each integrated, but with a surprising tension for a wine this big. Light yellow in color and full in body, the wine offers aromas of poached pear, creme brûlée, almond, and sea salt. Tastes of golden delicious apple, lemon curd, orange peel, and vanilla bean, with a layered and round finish. 15% alcohol. The fruit here is more poached than I prefer, but there's no denying the beauty of the mouthfeel and complexity of the flavors. Drink in next year or two.
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Nose of pear & butterscotch; palate of honey & pineapple, notes of vanilla. Shorter finish and acidity than other Aubert single vineyard Chards. Very nice and wish i had more!
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Very rich fruits, lemon curd and pineapple dominate with high acidity and a long finish. I would give this a year or two to balance the fruit and alcohol and expect this will add a point or two
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We decanted this wine for about an hour. Golden straw color. Over time this wine evolved and the acidity softened. The nose consists of pears, green apples, lemon grass and butterscotch. On the pallet layers of honeysuckle, pears, lemon curd and pineapple provide a long and expressive finish.
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Very interesting green tinged gold color that catches your attention right off the bat. Agree with other notes relative to tropical fruits and outstanding acid balance. There is a distinct perception of oak but not in a distracting way which I guess speaks to the overall balance and presentation of this wine as well as the deft winemaking. Has many years ahead of it, consumed without decanting.
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Another Aubert gem...candied tropical fruit with notes of lemon curd and citrus on the finish. Amazing acidity for such a well balanced round wine...finish goes on and on.
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PnP. Kicked ass this afternoon - in a lineup of aged white burg and some central coast chard, this was king. Maintains the striking purity I associate with Mr. Aubert’s chards, but as the lineup goes, this is the most “typically Napa” with butter and toasted oak, although it certainly rocks. This is the frat boy at the bar buying everyone else drinks on Daddy’s credit card. And no one is complaining about it. Much better than my last taste 2 weeks ago
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Lemon oil, tropical fruits, almonds and a long citrus dominated finish. Quite nice but I sense a need for bit more cellar time to get some more harmony within this big Chardonnay.
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Uncorked a bottle with TMUD that had been coravined. This had all the purity you find in Aubert's chards, but to me, stylistically came across as a little typical in the use of toasted oak. It wasn't flabby in any sense, and I enjoyed it, but favor the more interesting layers of flavor in other bottlings I've had recently (LH&S, UVSL).
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As noted by other CT'ers, this is really big. Notes of lemon oil, mango, honeysuckle and a touch of almonds. A bit more buttery than ideal on the pallet, but not at all flabby. Huge freshness and structure. Oak is well integrated and not very noticeable. About as full bodied as you would want a Chardonnay to be, this one won't be confused with white burgundy. Lots of mineral driven flavors shining through. Very long.
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Pale straw color. Nose of apples, honeysuckle and peach. Not overly oaked, delicious and refreshing. Balanced with tropical fruit notes, perfumed apples...so good.
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I love Aubert chardonnays. They are always complex, brilliantly balanced and he is able to extract huge aroma. The 2015 Suger Shack has all of these characteristics but it will be enjoyed most by the person who wants a big voluptuous Chardonnay. Alc is 15%! Unlike his other Chards, this one is made in the hotter Rutherford Napa and it shows. It mellowed out a bit the next day so I would recommend decanting it for some time.
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Wow, this is opulent, big, full, soft, flabby even, full of cream, baked apple, hints of peaches 'n cream, very warm at over 15%. Least favorite as acid levels are low on this estate Napa wine. If you like big and soft and buttery, this is your wine. Polar opposite of the Hyde. A little tangy finish pops up at the end barely saving this.
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4/8/2024 - rustyRudy Likes this wine: 100 Points
Second go round, Coravined, started at 55, warmed slightly, on the deck, by itself. Absolutely beautiful! Don’t think California Chardonnay can get any better for my palate. I love the complexity of fruit, the balance, subtle oak and vanilla and the super long finish
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4/7/2024 - rustyRudy Likes this wine: 97 Points
Lemon yellow with a gold tint. Beautiful peach, pineapple, and tropical fruit with some balancing citrus. Great finish
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3/22/2024 - galewskj wrote: 92 Points
Guys night - course meal (Kevin and Vicki's house): Drank a small glass over an hour. Middle of the road stylistically, with some California and Burgundy qualities. Not as impressive as I thought/hoped it would be, obviously still nice. Maybe the Bouchard gave this wine difficult competition in the flight.
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3/14/2024 - MN Wine Junkie Likes this wine: 95 Points
PnP - I love Aubert! This is typical Sugar Shack, but also in a good place. I believe this is the biggest, butteriest, and oakiest Chardonnay in Aubert's stable. Having said that, it still shows great balance and minerality and is in no way over the top. Like most Aubert wines, it has aged gracefully and at nine years old, is in a great spot! 94+ to 95 for me, and that is pretty conservative, IMO.
Note: I paired this with a 2015 Kistler (Kistler Vineyard), and for me, the Aubert was slightly better.
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3/14/2024 - rocknroller wrote: 92 Points
Guy's Night: Variety Pack (Rocknroller's (Kevin & Vicki's Place)): Light medium gold color. Followed a glass over 2 hours. Rich, baked apple, oak, opulent and buttery, apricot, cedar dust, sweet and spicy. Not in what I generally think of as a more dialed in Aubert style, and this seems to be trekking on the other side of the hill.
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2/3/2022 - jsebiri wrote:
Excellent , this wine was singing after 1/2 hour of air time. On the Aubert scale I would give this a 7.5 of 10.
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1/8/2022 - jlgnml Likes this wine: 94 Points
first time with this vineyard and for me a relatively young vintage. Delicious P&P. Great color, good nose and wonderful palate feel. Hold, drink, buy.
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9/5/2021 - Mark1npt Likes this wine: 95 Points
Brought to the event by Jason, a wonderful start! My first Sugar Shack. At the pnp, there's no mistaking this is a Cali chard. It is dripping in creamy, buttery oak. Over the course of 2 hours of air this improves considerably, shedding a lot of the oak and butter and revealing more vanilla cream and tropical fruits. Lemon curd especially. I wanted to taste the remaining bit in the glass later but it's the one wine Carol finished off for me!
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9/3/2021 - Decanting Queen wrote: 94 Points
Zoom with Mark and Jason (Atlanta/Naples/Minneapolis): My first Aubert and on first opening I was worried it was way too fruity and floral for my taste. But after just a minute I realized that while it was fruitier than my preferred Chardonnay style, this was pretty amazing. Intense floral and fruity aromas on the nose. Creamy and tropical fruits on the palate. A touch of reduction (which I like) and a long mineral finish. One of my favorite wines of the night. I have heard that most wines from this producer are leaner in in my preferred style, can't wait to try one.
Thank you Jason--and success in getting me to score a Chardonnay higher than 93!
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9/3/2021 - I'd Rather Be Drinking Wine Likes this wine: 95 Points
Zooming with some new friends!: PnP - What can I say, I love Aubert! This was my first Sugar Shack, and while distinctly Aubert, it is the most stereotypical CA Chardonnay in their stable, i.e., creamy, buttery and oaky of all their Chardonnays, of course all in moderation. The nose is sweet and floral with white flowers, citrus and hint of vanilla. The palate shows layers of Pear, melon, citrus (mostly Meyers lemon and a hint of orange, with plenty of minerality, hay and sweet toasted oak. Aubert is always a pleasure to drink! 95+ for me!
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7/14/2021 - danielbleier Likes this wine: 95 Points
Nectarine, pineapple, and caramel richness comes in waves. Sugar Shack tends to be the most decadent offering from Aubert, and this is no exception. Drank wonderfully right away.
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1/18/2021 - ebunderson wrote: 94 Points
The wine looks yellow gold colored. The legs are medium. There is no sediment in the bottle. It smells like lemon, pineapple, melon, mineral, vanilla, orange blossom and biscuity. It tastes like lemon, pineapple, melon, mineral, stoniness, vanilla, orange blossom and biscuity. The body is medium/full. The wine has polished texture. The wine finishes long. The wine has medium acidity.
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1/14/2021 - SMZ wrote: 95 Points
Beautifully crafted
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12/24/2020 - fdub Likes this wine: 96 Points
So explosive. Really showing no age. Creamy and ripe with a touch of reduction on opening. Tropical with strong lemon pie notes on a love sappy finish.
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8/23/2019 - mflesh wrote: 94 Points
Lucky to go up the Sugar Shack ladder once again. Great salinity on this. Great notes of honeydew, mango, banana pudding, dried herbs on the nose and entry of the wine. The middle explodes here, showing a wonderful white flower with herb and yellow fruits. Full throttle. This was the best chard on the table, and that's saying something with a 13 Pahlmeyer Faire, 12 Marcassin Marcassin, and two 11 Kistlers ALSO on the table.
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5/25/2019 - msuwine wrote: 95 Points
This viscous and nutty Chardonnay is in a nice place right now, with an intriguing balance of fruit and acidity - each integrated, but with a surprising tension for a wine this big. Light yellow in color and full in body, the wine offers aromas of poached pear, creme brûlée, almond, and sea salt. Tastes of golden delicious apple, lemon curd, orange peel, and vanilla bean, with a layered and round finish. 15% alcohol. The fruit here is more poached than I prefer, but there's no denying the beauty of the mouthfeel and complexity of the flavors. Drink in next year or two.
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4/14/2019 - Bryan49 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Nose of pear & butterscotch; palate of honey & pineapple, notes of vanilla. Shorter finish and acidity than other Aubert single vineyard Chards. Very nice and wish i had more!
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3/16/2019 - beau11 wrote: 96 Points
Very rich fruits, lemon curd and pineapple dominate with high acidity and a long finish. I would give this a year or two to balance the fruit and alcohol and expect this will add a point or two
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3/10/2019 - Snag One wrote: 94 Points
Liquid gold color and taste. Very subtle but satisfying layers of lemon curd, pineapple, pears and green apples. Very enjoyable wine.
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2/17/2019 - Snag One Likes this wine: 94 Points
We decanted this wine for about an hour. Golden straw color. Over time this wine evolved and the acidity softened. The nose consists of pears, green apples, lemon grass and butterscotch. On the pallet layers of honeysuckle, pears, lemon curd and pineapple provide a long and expressive finish.
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1/21/2019 - CotoDC Likes this wine: 95 Points
Very interesting green tinged gold color that catches your attention right off the bat. Agree with other notes relative to tropical fruits and outstanding acid balance. There is a distinct perception of oak but not in a distracting way which I guess speaks to the overall balance and presentation of this wine as well as the deft winemaking. Has many years ahead of it, consumed without decanting.
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11/15/2018 - Schiffy Likes this wine: 94 Points
Another Aubert gem...candied tropical fruit with notes of lemon curd and citrus on the finish. Amazing acidity for such a well balanced round wine...finish goes on and on.
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6/8/2018 - jviz wrote: 95 Points
PnP. Kicked ass this afternoon - in a lineup of aged white burg and some central coast chard, this was king. Maintains the striking purity I associate with Mr. Aubert’s chards, but as the lineup goes, this is the most “typically Napa” with butter and toasted oak, although it certainly rocks. This is the frat boy at the bar buying everyone else drinks on Daddy’s credit card. And no one is complaining about it. Much better than my last taste 2 weeks ago
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5/22/2018 - Deepdrop Likes this wine: 93 Points
Lemon oil, tropical fruits, almonds and a long citrus dominated finish. Quite nice but I sense a need for bit more cellar time to get some more harmony within this big Chardonnay.
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5/21/2018 - WVWine wrote: 97 Points
Amazing bottle of wine. Smooth, crisp and delicious. This is exactly what I expect from Aubert.
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5/20/2018 - Racer117 Does not like this wine: 90 Points
Subtract 1% ABV from this bottle to 14%, and I'd rate this 95 points.
Way too much alcohol at 15%. It substantially distracts from the delicious candied lemon, marshmallow, and oaky vanilla flavors.
Not good QPR.
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5/12/2018 - jviz wrote: 93 Points
Uncorked a bottle with TMUD that had been coravined. This had all the purity you find in Aubert's chards, but to me, stylistically came across as a little typical in the use of toasted oak. It wasn't flabby in any sense, and I enjoyed it, but favor the more interesting layers of flavor in other bottlings I've had recently (LH&S, UVSL).
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3/4/2018 - Cristal2000 Likes this wine: 94 Points
As noted by other CT'ers, this is really big. Notes of lemon oil, mango, honeysuckle and a touch of almonds. A bit more buttery than ideal on the pallet, but not at all flabby. Huge freshness and structure. Oak is well integrated and not very noticeable. About as full bodied as you would want a Chardonnay to be, this one won't be confused with white burgundy. Lots of mineral driven flavors shining through. Very long.
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12/27/2017 - MJMorris55 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Pale straw color. Nose of apples, honeysuckle and peach. Not overly oaked, delicious and refreshing. Balanced with tropical fruit notes, perfumed apples...so good.
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4/22/2017 - Ahughes444 wrote: 90 Points
I love Aubert chardonnays. They are always complex, brilliantly balanced and he is able to extract huge aroma. The 2015 Suger Shack has all of these characteristics but it will be enjoyed most by the person who wants a big voluptuous Chardonnay. Alc is 15%! Unlike his other Chards, this one is made in the hotter Rutherford Napa and it shows. It mellowed out a bit the next day so I would recommend decanting it for some time.
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4/15/2017 - peternelson wrote: 90 Points
Wow, this is opulent, big, full, soft, flabby even, full of cream, baked apple, hints of peaches 'n cream, very warm at over 15%. Least favorite as acid levels are low on this estate Napa wine. If you like big and soft and buttery, this is your wine. Polar opposite of the Hyde. A little tangy finish pops up at the end barely saving this.
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