One off ($38) about 18 months ago from Napa cellerage operation #2. On the nose and palate, fairly subdued notes of lemon-lime, green apples, yellow grapefruit, white melon, river rocks, saline and a faint bit of beeswax. Crystalline, light to medium bodied, medium legs. Medium+ acidity, not a trace of heat. VG+ intensity, VG persistence, good complexity. This producer has been a favorite of mine since being introduced to the Estate bottling hiking the Milford Track almost 20 years ago to the day. Brisk, crisp, sleek, lithe and steely, this bottling, which I’m having for the first time, perhaps even more than the others (despite WE calling it the producer’s most opulent bottling, and the last writer 2x describing it as “rich), could easily pass for Chablis, as I find nary a hint of tropical or stone fruits. It opened ever so slightly more both with time and coming to room temperature (although even with a less expansive frame, I preferred cooler, I know: call me a philistine), but it was never my idea of generous. This is a terrific wine with the right food, and it excelled with crabcakes one night and sushi another (I think that it would be right there with my fave, the Spottswoode SB with oysters, too), better, for my palate than on its own, although like a good sancerre or chablis, I think that sipping it on a warm evening from Auberge’s deck overlooking the Valley wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world, either. Robust acidity gives the sense that this should last at least a few more years at a VG level and could incrementally improve. Solid effort, if slightly behind Coddington, the Estate and the Mate’s. 91-92+
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Deep yellow. Yellow and green apple the nose with just a slight hint of stone fruit. Crisp and saline on the palate, with mostly ripe lemon showing through the finish. This is great, blind I would have called a Meursault village.
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Pale straw color with a reflective edge. The nose gives off floral scents of sunflower on stone fruits. The palate is medium bodied with crisp acidity that really hits the right notes balancing the purity of green apple, pineapple, and white pear. The mid palate is rock solid leading to a finish that lasts really long with flinty, saline minerals with hints of limestone and citrusy orange zest. Delightful and perky. Drink now until 2033. 94+
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90-91 . A little too acidic on the tail end. Tropical fruits, lemon zest. I've tried better example of chardonnay from this producer. Nice wine though.
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Popped and poured, and guzzled quickly. I like this one a lot, and perhaps even more they the Matès Vineyard of the same vintage. Usually I am put off by grapefruit-like citrus flavors, but this one is good somehow. Refreshing on a hot summer day. Glad I have more!
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Christmas Eve. Paired with home made foie gras. Light lemon Color. Beautiful exotic nose - pineapple, lichi, peach - smoke and pepper on top. Med acidity, Med body, Med alcohol, Med+ flavor intensity, Med finish. Very structured, creamy, beautiful fruits combined with minerality, smokiness, pepper, nice finish. Excellent, Stands comfortably with the best burgundy, love the price quality.
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light yellow, lots of clarity, silvery hue Nose: green apple, stone fruit, limestone, chalk, white pepper, minerals, lime, vanilla, oak Pal: green apple, stone fruit, limestone, chalk, white pepper, minerals, lime, brioche, wax, oak Feel: medium, full, savory Finish: long T9 (could be an 8)
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From the next day: More precision here, a more focused smoky nose, intense cordial quality of citrus fruit. Still pretty compact. Super intensity and concentration, very salty mineral character, long mealy, toasty flavours. Clearly a lot of promise!
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13% vol Reductive nose again, but an easier (lighter) touch of smoke Feels more focused, finer citrus (lemon and lime), and green apple fruit, contributing to a tighter, more compact overall feel to the nose here. Very smart. Super intensity in the mouth, concentrated too with a notable lime citrus edge. Lively and grippy, some spice a little mealy mineral character and a tangy viscous quality. More generous and honeyed with time, it remains focused, linear, long and precise. 92+/100
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2/17/2024 - sfwinelover1 Likes this wine: 92 Points
One off ($38) about 18 months ago from Napa cellerage operation #2. On the nose and palate, fairly subdued notes of lemon-lime, green apples, yellow grapefruit, white melon, river rocks, saline and a faint bit of beeswax. Crystalline, light to medium bodied, medium legs. Medium+ acidity, not a trace of heat. VG+ intensity, VG persistence, good complexity. This producer has been a favorite of mine since being introduced to the Estate bottling hiking the Milford Track almost 20 years ago to the day. Brisk, crisp, sleek, lithe and steely, this bottling, which I’m having for the first time, perhaps even more than the others (despite WE calling it the producer’s most opulent bottling, and the last writer 2x describing it as “rich), could easily pass for Chablis, as I find nary a hint of tropical or stone fruits. It opened ever so slightly more both with time and coming to room temperature (although even with a less expansive frame, I preferred cooler, I know: call me a philistine), but it was never my idea of generous. This is a terrific wine with the right food, and it excelled with crabcakes one night and sushi another (I think that it would be right there with my fave, the Spottswoode SB with oysters, too), better, for my palate than on its own, although like a good sancerre or chablis, I think that sipping it on a warm evening from Auberge’s deck overlooking the Valley wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world, either. Robust acidity gives the sense that this should last at least a few more years at a VG level and could incrementally improve. Solid effort, if slightly behind Coddington, the Estate and the Mate’s. 91-92+
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5/26/2023 - mjgkng Likes this wine: 90 Points
Ripe and rich fruit. Excellent NZ Chardonnay.
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3/4/2023 - mjgkng Likes this wine: 91 Points
Ripe, rich and delicious.
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9/16/2022 - jfpwine Likes this wine: 92 Points
Deep yellow. Yellow and green apple the nose with just a slight hint of stone fruit. Crisp and saline on the palate, with mostly ripe lemon showing through the finish. This is great, blind I would have called a Meursault village.
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3/12/2022 - mjgkng Likes this wine: 92 Points
Ripe dry citrus with hints of lemon. Little or no oak. Excellent vintage.
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1/28/2022 - Life At Your Leisure 🍷 wrote: 94 Points
Pale straw color with a reflective edge. The nose gives off floral scents of sunflower on stone fruits. The palate is medium bodied with crisp acidity that really hits the right notes balancing the purity of green apple, pineapple, and white pear. The mid palate is rock solid leading to a finish that lasts really long with flinty, saline minerals with hints of limestone and citrusy orange zest. Delightful and perky. Drink now until 2033. 94+
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8/8/2021 - ta75 Likes this wine: 90 Points
90-91 . A little too acidic on the tail end. Tropical fruits, lemon zest. I've tried better example of chardonnay from this producer. Nice wine though.
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7/25/2021 - Big Bad Voodoo Daddy Likes this wine: 92 Points
Popped and poured, and guzzled quickly. I like this one a lot, and perhaps even more they the Matès Vineyard of the same vintage. Usually I am put off by grapefruit-like citrus flavors, but this one is good somehow. Refreshing on a hot summer day. Glad I have more!
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1/10/2021 - mjgkng Likes this wine: 90 Points
Ripe and rich.
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12/24/2020 - bram_epicurien Likes this wine: 92 Points
Christmas Eve. Paired with home made foie gras. Light lemon Color. Beautiful exotic nose - pineapple, lichi, peach - smoke and pepper on top. Med acidity, Med body, Med alcohol, Med+ flavor intensity, Med finish. Very structured, creamy, beautiful fruits combined with minerality, smokiness, pepper, nice finish. Excellent, Stands comfortably with the best burgundy, love the price quality.
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11/28/2020 - mjgkng Likes this wine: 91 Points
Rich fruit with minerality. Very enjoyable.
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11/27/2020 - Bearbus Likes this wine:
Gentle yellow pear and apple, hints of subtropicals, medium bodied, lovely saline acidity, brine/calone/seaweed/oyster shell. Nice
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5/14/2020 - Frijole wrote:
light yellow, lots of clarity, silvery hue
Nose: green apple, stone fruit, limestone, chalk, white pepper, minerals, lime, vanilla, oak
Pal: green apple, stone fruit, limestone, chalk, white pepper, minerals, lime, brioche, wax, oak
Feel: medium, full, savory
Finish: long
T9 (could be an 8)
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2/25/2020 - mjgkng Likes this wine: 91 Points
Crisp fruit and long finish. Excellent NZ Chardonnay.
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1/18/2020 - mjgkng Likes this wine: 91 Points
Tight. Citrus and grapefruit with hints of vanilla.
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10/23/2019 - Shrewsram Likes this wine: 93 Points
From the next day:
More precision here, a more focused smoky nose, intense cordial quality of citrus fruit. Still pretty compact.
Super intensity and concentration, very salty mineral character, long mealy, toasty flavours.
Clearly a lot of promise!
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10/22/2019 - Shrewsram Likes this wine: 92 Points
13% vol
Reductive nose again, but an easier (lighter) touch of smoke
Feels more focused, finer citrus (lemon and lime), and green apple fruit, contributing to a tighter, more compact overall feel to the nose here. Very smart.
Super intensity in the mouth, concentrated too with a notable lime citrus edge. Lively and grippy, some spice a little mealy mineral character and a tangy viscous quality.
More generous and honeyed with time, it remains focused, linear, long and precise.
92+/100
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9/4/2019 - richard.presser Likes this wine: 90 Points
Kumeu River Vertical Chardonnay Tasting (Bellota Wine Bar (Prince Wine Store)): Delicate. Very well structured. Again, long, lemony flavour.
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