Tasted from a pristinely-cellared magnum at a walk-around Super Bowl party, this 36-year-old California Chardonnay was the wine of the night. Medium-to-deep golden in color, it offers an intense and complex bouquet of stone fruits, toasted marshmallows, lemon meringue, honey and spiced vanilla. Medium-bodied and with impressive freshness, it delivers flavors mirroring the nose, adding a complimentary note of minerality that seals the deal. The fruit, acid, oak and alcohol (13%) are all working in unison here, creating an exquisite tasting experience that accelerates on the dense mid-palate and lengthy finish. At this age, there are only good bottles...not necessarily "good wines." This particular magnum was nothing short of ethereal. Comparable magnums will easily provide immense pleasure throughout the remainder of this decade, possibly beyond. Drink now-2030.
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While my previous bottle just soared with youth and complexity this bottle had a wet, spongy, blueish cork and this wine is pushed into the bruised apple/hazelnut territory and feels lifeless in the mouth.
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Excellent fill, color, cork. Aromas of popcorn, roasted marshmallow, coconut sugar, and lemon. Power here derived neither from concentration or manipulation, it's just full of life, radiating energy like it's own little golden sun shining in the glass. Hard to imagine better Santa Cruz Chardonnay.
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Very mature, but holding on and enjoyable if you like that sort of thing, which I do. Integrated oaky vanilla and spice, some yellow apple fruit, a pretty hazelnut patina. Acidity makes it a bit short and this is probably past its prime but it's a very different presentation from much younger premoxed wines.
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P: LM body; AMAZING oak/frt NICELY balanced by acidity as it evolves into a LONG (albeit somewhat faint) finish that, nonetheless, retains its acidity ALL the way through! The front-P & most of the finish on this are impeccable, TOTALLY belying its age! My EXC+/Exceptional- based upon its longevity.
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orange, oxidized hues, in the color. toasted marshmallow, spice, on the nose. traces of citrus, spice, caramelized sugar, on the palate. medium acid, on the finish.
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What a great way to start off 2011. Gorgeous golden almost sauternes like color with a slight tinge of green. Nose is wide open after a few minutes of sitting in the glass. Lemon zest, honeysuckle, toasted almonds, slight creamy aspect, smoky oak and a hint of nutmeg. The youth of this wine is rather remarkable. You can see by the color that it has a bit of age but it tastes much younger. Palate is super vibrant, youthful and fresh. Great yellow fruits, more of the ground lemon skin, a bit creaminess and remarkable acid. The acid seems to carry the wine front to back to keep everything super fresh. Still a nice amount of oak on the finish as well. Awesome steak of minerality in the middle, a touch of herbs and a hint of spice on the back end from the oak. A great wine with tremendous length and tons of life still left. I dont really see this improving any more from where it is right now; drink now and enjoy!
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Completely shot, brownish oxidized color. Hints of what was there previously but unfortunately over the hill. It has to be just the bottle as the other bottle right in sequential bottle number has considerable better color.
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With K and Miranda at home at dinner (fettucine Alfredo). Beautiful golden straw color. Thick, oily, viscous. Nose is great! Smoky, butterscotch-scented fruit. Nice. On the palate, it is big, substantial, even a bit ponderous and clumsy. Plenty of body. Heavy oak shadows the fruit a bit too much. Good, not great. 5-11-15-7: 88/100.
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With Barbara Wetzel at Silk's at lunch (seared tuna). Straw color. Brilliant. Good clarity. Great nose. Like a French white Burgundy. Nice flavor. Great balance of components. Excellent stuff. 5-12-16-8: 91/100.
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At Silk's with MPL at lunch. Light gold. In the nose, butter, citrus fruit. In the mouth, big, bold, unwieldy--perhaps too big. After an initial monster impression, the wine seemed more elegant, creamy and buttery. Relatively long. Perhaps out of balance with too much alcohol. 5-9-16-7: 87/100.
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2/12/2023 - La Cave d'Argent Likes this wine: 98 Points
Tasted from a pristinely-cellared magnum at a walk-around Super Bowl party, this 36-year-old California Chardonnay was the wine of the night. Medium-to-deep golden in color, it offers an intense and complex bouquet of stone fruits, toasted marshmallows, lemon meringue, honey and spiced vanilla. Medium-bodied and with impressive freshness, it delivers flavors mirroring the nose, adding a complimentary note of minerality that seals the deal. The fruit, acid, oak and alcohol (13%) are all working in unison here, creating an exquisite tasting experience that accelerates on the dense mid-palate and lengthy finish. At this age, there are only good bottles...not necessarily "good wines." This particular magnum was nothing short of ethereal. Comparable magnums will easily provide immense pleasure throughout the remainder of this decade, possibly beyond. Drink now-2030.
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4/1/2022 - andtheodor wrote: flawed
While my previous bottle just soared with youth and complexity this bottle had a wet, spongy, blueish cork and this wine is pushed into the bruised apple/hazelnut territory and feels lifeless in the mouth.
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3/12/2021 - andtheodor wrote: 94 Points
Excellent fill, color, cork. Aromas of popcorn, roasted marshmallow, coconut sugar, and lemon. Power here derived neither from concentration or manipulation, it's just full of life, radiating energy like it's own little golden sun shining in the glass. Hard to imagine better Santa Cruz Chardonnay.
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3/5/2021 - coremill wrote: 88 Points
Very mature, but holding on and enjoyable if you like that sort of thing, which I do. Integrated oaky vanilla and spice, some yellow apple fruit, a pretty hazelnut patina. Acidity makes it a bit short and this is probably past its prime but it's a very different presentation from much younger premoxed wines.
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1/27/2018 - srh Likes this wine:
Sat, 01/27/18, $2 Tasting + 3 Shared Bottles (Vintage Wines Ltd., San Diego, CA): A heartfelt THANK you to those who made this tasting experience possible! :)
From a magnum
N: Intense butterscotch, lemons WAY underneath?
P: LM body; AMAZING oak/frt NICELY balanced by acidity as it evolves into a LONG (albeit somewhat faint) finish that, nonetheless, retains its acidity ALL the way through! The front-P & most of the finish on this are impeccable, TOTALLY belying its age! My EXC+/Exceptional- based upon its longevity.
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5/7/2015 - affordableCollector wrote: 91 Points
orange, oxidized hues, in the color. toasted marshmallow, spice, on the nose. traces of citrus, spice, caramelized sugar, on the palate. medium acid, on the finish.
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8/29/2011 - scottj wrote: flawed
The color on this bottle didn't look good, and pouring a glass confirmed it. Not bad, but obviously showing the signs of old age.
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1/2/2011 - tyvoodoo wrote: 93 Points
What a great way to start off 2011. Gorgeous golden almost sauternes like color with a slight tinge of green. Nose is wide open after a few minutes of sitting in the glass. Lemon zest, honeysuckle, toasted almonds, slight creamy aspect, smoky oak and a hint of nutmeg. The youth of this wine is rather remarkable. You can see by the color that it has a bit of age but it tastes much younger. Palate is super vibrant, youthful and fresh. Great yellow fruits, more of the ground lemon skin, a bit creaminess and remarkable acid. The acid seems to carry the wine front to back to keep everything super fresh. Still a nice amount of oak on the finish as well. Awesome steak of minerality in the middle, a touch of herbs and a hint of spice on the back end from the oak. A great wine with tremendous length and tons of life still left. I dont really see this improving any more from where it is right now; drink now and enjoy!
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11/24/2010 - tyvoodoo wrote: flawed
Completely shot, brownish oxidized color. Hints of what was there previously but unfortunately over the hill. It has to be just the bottle as the other bottle right in sequential bottle number has considerable better color.
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5/15/2006 - jamiekutch wrote:
San Francisco MONSTER Offline - 31 Notes, Pictures & Review of the Evening: Light water yellow. Extremely delicate. Slightly simple with light drying fruit.
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3/10/1996 - buckeye76 wrote: 94 Points
SMOKY AROMA WITH GRAPEFRUIT AND VANILLA. CITRUS FLAVORS, ALSO GRAPEFRUIT. NICE ACIDITY, MEDIUM TO LONG FINISH.
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4/9/1991 - MicklethePickle Likes this wine: 88 Points
With K and Miranda at home at dinner (fettucine Alfredo). Beautiful golden straw color. Thick, oily, viscous. Nose is great! Smoky, butterscotch-scented fruit. Nice. On the palate, it is big, substantial, even a bit ponderous and clumsy. Plenty of body. Heavy oak shadows the fruit a bit too much. Good, not great. 5-11-15-7: 88/100.
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10/19/1990 - MicklethePickle Likes this wine: 91 Points
With Barbara Wetzel at Silk's at lunch (seared tuna). Straw color. Brilliant. Good clarity. Great nose. Like a French white Burgundy. Nice flavor. Great balance of components. Excellent stuff. 5-12-16-8: 91/100.
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9/13/1989 - MicklethePickle Likes this wine: 87 Points
At Silk's with MPL at lunch. Light gold. In the nose, butter, citrus fruit. In the mouth, big, bold, unwieldy--perhaps too big. After an initial monster impression, the wine seemed more elegant, creamy and buttery. Relatively long. Perhaps out of balance with too much alcohol. 5-9-16-7: 87/100.
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