Very evolved and quite deep golden-yellow color with a pale bronze color. Big, sweetish and quite captivating nose with evolved aromas of bruised apple, peanut butter, some creamy notes of panna cotta, light honeyed nuances, a little bit of ripe nectarine, a hint of tomato stalk and a touch of canned pineapple. The wine is ripe, evolved and wonderfully complex on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full-bodied on the palate with layered flavors of browned butter, bruised apple, some peanut butter, a little bit of sweet caramel oak, light pineapple tones, a hint of ripe apricot and a touch of cooked cream. The surprisingly high acidity lends great sense of freshness, structure and precision to the wine. The finish is lively, long and harmonious with complex flavors of nectarine and pineapple, some creamy oak, light evolved notes of browned butter and bruised apple, a hint of stony minerality and a touch of roasted nuts.
A complex and beautifully evolved California Chardonnay that shows surprising freshness and sense of harmony. From the nose I expected the wine to be a lush, heavy and ponderous butter bomb, but instead it turned out to be surprisingly lithe, precise and - in lack of better word - very Burgundian on the palate. Many people in the tasting commented how they'd love to have the wine served blind in a tasting of older white Burgundies. The wine certainly shows some exotic notes and ripeness, but not to the extent of being outside of what's typical for a warmer-vintage Burgundy. All in all, a terrific and immensely enjoyable effort. A very complete wine; this was a steal for its quality at 39€.
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I picked up this magnum in the morning and popped it with friends later that night. I definitely don’t have diamond hands for wine.
Served at slightly colder than cellar temp. A beautiful and rich golden colored Chard. The aromas filled the place with intoxicating notes of butter, sweet corn, pineapple, lemon, salinity, and crisp minerality. Lovely wine with excellent structure, acidity, and persistence. Despite the richness, there’s so much balance and uniqueness here.
Everyone loved it! Such a great wine.
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Dark color, but overall appropriately mature for its age. Floral and earth aromas with mature orchard fruit. Similar flavors with good concentration. While slightly musty to start, this cleaned up nicely within 10 minutes and drank well for over two hours, then slowly/ slightly fading after that point.
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-- popped and poured -- -- tasted non-blind over a few hours --
NOSE: intense, and high-toned; ripe pineapple; lemon; largely in-line with previous bottles and its age.
BODY: rich, orange-golden yellow/maize color of great depth; medium to medium-full bodied.
TASTE: palate reflects the Nose --- medium+ to high acidity; ripe pineapple; very nice showing; largely consistent with previous bottles, although this one does give the impression of starting to thin out. Gut impression score 91 - 92. Although this wine can handle more age, I'm drinking mine now and over the near term.
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I lied and held one several more years, but to no ill affect. Still golden in color, but with plenty of orchard fruit and acidity. A long and lovely finish. Still lovely.
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-- tasted a single pour non-blind over approx. 30 minutes -- -- from magnum --
NOSE: medium-light oak note; strong mineral note behind the fruit; simultaneously tropical and buttery, which has always been a trademark of this Sleepy Hollow vintage for me; smells younger than usual, perhaps owing to the magnum format.
BODY: golden yellow color; medium bodied.
TASTE: rich, but not overblown; mineral flavor pushes forward on the full finish; unmistakably Chardonnay; alc. not noticeable; without CT, I wouldn't even be able to start recalling how many times I've had this wine, and it has always pleased --- today was no exception; between the rich golden yellow color and the giving nature of its aromatics and flavors I've always wondered if this would age quickly --- it hasn't. It's aging at a very slow pace, and this will go another 10+ years easily; not yet at peak; Drink Now or Hold. Excellent.
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Popped-and-poured. Dark golden color with good concentration, and an age appropriate degree of maturity. Baked apple and lemon curd with rich buttery character, then some butterscotch emerging with more time in glass. Drinking well now, with the ability to hold through at least 2020. Very good value wine.
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Getting that deep golden color. Very rich palate. It didn't really show much acidity which made that richness feel a bit weighty. Tasty but not exactly built the way you hope for this sort of wine. Given the state of the fruit it's possible it could take on some leanness and drink more balanced. It certainly didn't seem like it was falling away.
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deep gold color. mineral, nutty nose. full mouth feel balanced with acidic energy that is slowly coated by a rich finish that is finally lifted with mineral. great finish!
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-- one hour decant before initial taste -- -- tasted non-blind over approx. 4 hours --
This bottle seems to have more energy than most previous bottles. Still has that dark golden yellow hue. Acidity is medium-high. Doesn't taste as butterscotchy as I've come to expect from this wine; rich, without being clumsy --- this wine has been so consistent over the years it's very easy for me to forget that time is actually passing; excellent showing for an excellent wine. Drink or Hold.
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NOSE: buttery and rich with some light oak and mineral tones --- same as it always has been; seems to be evolving at a glacial pace.
BODY: golden yellow color of great depth; medium to medium-full bodied.
TASTE: rich, relaxed fruit -- lemony -- right in the middle of the fat/butter and bracing/tropical styles of Chardonnay; good acidity; wooly mineral; again, this wine presents today just as it always has for me: it's an unabashed California Chardonnay with a healthy dose of acidity lending some lift; alc. not noticeable.
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-- bottle was open for a few hours before I had my glass -- -- tasted a single glass non-blind over approx. 1 hour --
NOSE: expressive; ripe lemon curd; medium-light oak
BODY: rich golden yellow color; medium to medium-full bodied
TASTE: rich lemon; medium+ acidity; fruit flavors are starting to mature; probably in its peak drink window right now, where I suspect it will remain for the next 2 or 3 years.
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This bottle was still showing great. Golden color, but not other hints of oxidation or age. I would call this at peak and sound bottles can hold there for a couple more years. I won't wait that long given the apparent bottle variation.
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13.3% alcohol. This is just a tremendously tasty wine. Medium yellow color. Gorgeous nose of stony apple, pear, lemon, and light oak notes. In the mouth, richly fruited and concentrated but on a superbly elegant frame. Stony notes back up the apple, green apple, and pear fruit, with terrifically bright acidity. Long finish that shows a touch of creamy oak and lots of lip-smacking fruit. A
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Impressive for Cal Chard of this age from a warm vintage. Riper and fatter than the Burgundy style Joe is known for, with butterscotch and honeysuckle notes, but its held together by good acidity. Drinks well as a sipper or carefully paired with assertively seasoned food. No oxidation.
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This is a Chard with acidity and proper oak treatment, The wine looks Yellow gold colored. The legs are Slow. It smells like Pineapple, Banana, Vanilla, and Butterscotch. The body is Medium/Full. The wine has Round texture. The wine finishes Long.
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Last of a six pack and the best one yet. Large scaled for sure and showing hints of maturity. Losing a little acidity but making up for it with lushness, a little butterscotch and subtle pit fruits. Improved as it warmed. Smooth as silk and utterly delicious.
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Very nice but quite mature. Wouldn't have been disappointed--it's an 8 year old Cal Chard after all--if the previous bottle (acquired from different source) I'd opened a few months before hadn't been so pristeenly youthful.
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Still my favorite Cali Chardonnay. Citrus, white fruit, hint of vanilla. No obvious oak. Acid makes the mouth water. Long finish. Glad I have 3 more. Still has plenty of life.
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Golden shiny color with yellow like fruit on the nose. Plenty of lemon zest and meringue which stays fresh and doesn't stray into the tropical category. Large and full but well balanced with ample acidity. Seemed to lack a bit of freshness at first but brightened up with some air. Not sure how this will age but very enjoyable now.
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big without being cloying at all. a finish that dances on the tongue and keeps it charged for well over 1 minute. orchard fruit with lemon and maybe guava. a small dose of butter, but not the horrid popcorn kind. a great cali chard. i would serve next to an Aubert or kongsgaard anytime.
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Followed over 2 days, with consistent notes throughout. Beginning to show, slightly, its age with a more yellow color both in hue and bouquet than prior bottles. She also seems to be gaining richness with a distinct waxiness to the still vibrant fruit. Excellent acidity, and very well proportioned. Perhaps in the early stages of developing secondary nuances, which may put this in the hold or drink now bin depending on you like your chardonnay. I'll be holding as I believe there is great upside to come.
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Buttery lemon fruit being a little bit rich but the palate feel is light and clean. Never heavy with a good amount of acidity to pick it up. Continue to be a winner. Very good.
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Butterscotch, tropical citrus, white peach and oaky spice. Bright, minerally acidity and good length. I think the comparisons to Chablis and PM are a little exaggerated, but I do think that while having many typical CA chard characteristics with tropical fruit and plenty of oak, this has a good deal of acidity and minerality that gives it great balance and allows it to be enjoyed with food.
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Wow is this good. Drinking like 1er Cru Puligny. Aromas are generous and intoxicating. The flavors are sharp and focused and pure. I love the spine of acidity that carries the flavor profile through. The mid palate is full and long with great length on the finish leaving lingering flavors. The wood is really unobtrusive here at least to my palate, with perhaps a touch of creaminess as it's influence. So happy to have a few more and thank you Joe D for a great wine and to Greg K for the amazing bargain.
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Dégusté le 23 juin dernier Peu de notes Belle couleur foncée et non brouillée, avec des reflets dorés. dentelles sur le verre. Nez un peu fermé au début puis s'ouvrant sur des arômes de pêches (Yo) ou d'ananas (Ri) et de miel. Boisé typique de Ch Californien mais sans excès. Texture en bouche ample et riche et avec une acidité agréablement surprenante. Continuité des arômes. De l'ananas frais et non sirupeux en boite ! Persistance moyenne à longue dominé par le boisé.
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Really nice chardonnay overall and one that continues to get better with air. Rich nose of stony minerals, lemon zest, sweet creamy smoky oak and white peach fruit. Palate is filled with more lemon fruit, bright acidic backbone and a full rich mouthfeel. One of my favorite CA chardonnays that I had this year and it seems to be developing nicely.
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This was very good. Nose was all candied caramel apples, but palate was very well balanced and minerally. I liked it a lot, but the wife didn't. Go figure. Good acidity and a long finish, 13.4% ABV. Unfortunately only had one of these...
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Evolving very nicely. Plenty of accurate notes have already been written on this, so not much to add. Simply stated, this is just a flat out terrific Chardonnay.
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Upon smelling, I immediately knew this was an Arcadian Chardonnay, and its performance was quite typical of Joe's SH Chard.. For those of you unfamiliar with the wine: it walks a fine line between a rich full-bodied typical CA Chard and a leaner more mineral-driven White Burg.. A very fine wine.
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Last bottle of this amazing wine. It seems to be transitioning to a more caramel and soft oak place over the typical tropical fruits and citrus. Still very balanced and complex. I'll have to seek out somemore of these.
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I have had way too many of these for such a young bottling, but I am continually impressed with this wine. To my palate, Joe's '05 Sleepy Hollow represents everything a great young California Chardonnay should be. It has vibrantly ripe yellow citrus fruits that are tempered by great acidity and minerality, which work together to give superb length on the finish. I find it complex, full of drive and energy and just flat out delicious. In short, I consider this reference-grade material that has many years of positive development in front of it.
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I have had way too many of these for such a young bottling, but I am continually impressed with this wine. To my palate, Joe's '05 Sleepy Hollow represents everything a great young California Chardonnay should be. It has vibrantly ripe yellow citrus fruits that are tempered by great acidity and minerality, which work together to give superb length on the finish. I find it complex, full of drive and energy and just flat out delicious. In short, I consider this reference-grade material that has many years of positive development in front of it.
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A top California Chard for me. Nice balance of minerals and apricots, acidity and creaminess (not at all creamy) with just a hint of vanilla. I'm a big fan of Arcadian's Sleepy Hollow Vineyard.
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Really nice Chard from CA. Good medium between Burg and CA. Fruity saline / oceanic nose with pineapple fruits, earth, almond and honey. Finish was a little short but one of the better CA Chards.
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Pale gold color. Nose of granny apple, citrus, mown hay, ripe pear. Lush but disciplined fruit profile of applecore, lime, and grapefuit notes on the palate nicely underpinned by freshening acidic spine and a hint of austerity. Long, echoing finish with minerals and white fruit. Oak notes are present but fully integrated and hardly noticeable. Really an outstanding effort for a very reasonable price.
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Blind- Yellow, buttery color. Pear and floral notes on the nose. Rich palate shows some lemon-laced acidity. Finishes dry with some sweet tannin. Very nice. With air, there is buttered popcorn nose and more minerality on the back side.
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This is a wonderful Chard. strong citrus and mineral nose. very round mouth feel with great acidity. a blend of orchard friut flavors, white peaches to granny smith apples. Long finish. This is one of the best Cali chards I've had, and a great value as well. retails for roughy $30-40 bucks.
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Very nice effort from Joe Davis. Burgundian in its nose and on the palate. Shades of a 1er cur Meursault. Peach & Pear fruit aromas with nice acidity and minerality.
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2005 Arcadian Chardonnay Sleepy Hollow Vineyard--Again the wine manages to balance hints of vanilla oak and buttered popcorn goodness with bracing acidity. The acidity really sharpens the edges. Slightly stemmy along with lemon and honey up front. Gives way to slate and a long, lively finish. Just a pleasure with the grilled snook my dad had caught earlier in the day.
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Wines with Lunch at Ko (New York, NY): Good mouthfeel, creamy and low acid. Lots of fruit and a little sweetness. Really enjoyable despite a slightly short finish. Ok+
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One year minus 7 days since the first time I tasted this wine, and it just gets better and better. Seems to have gained a bit of weight since the last time that I had it in July of 09. The spice and stewed apple flavors have become more prominent, which makes this a meal unto itself. So much complexity and depth of flavor. Nothing in the world like it.
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Positively awesome. Developing nicely and still so youthful. Served near room temperature, and it showed beautifully. Stony, slightly tart fruit on the nose, with a background note of oak. In the mouth, simultaneously sumptuous because of the generosity of its fruit and steely, with its racy minerality and bright acidity. Extremely long finish. A delight. A
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One of the very best California Chards I've had in a long time. Amazing nose. Great fruit and minerality on the palate. Nice use of oak. Great finish. Superb.
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Nice, stemmy nose. The flavor of lemon meringue molecular gastronomy foam. A plush, creamy. mouth feel with a hint of smoky austerity. Joe says it will grow into its carmelly, creme bruee maturity as the years go by.
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Great as usual. One of my favorite chards. Went great with lobster bisque and also a white anchovy appetizer.
Vanilla, some butter and a bit of citrus. Great mouth feel and the acid made the mouth water. Very long finish. Great transition on the mid-palete from the vanilla and butter to some honey, citrus and a bit of melon and allspice. Delicious now but will hold up for years.
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Lots of lemony richness on the nose. Like lemon custard. Well maybe not that rich. This is very concentrated and rich but perfectly balance with the copious amount of acid. Very long finish. Easy to like and should have a long life.
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Another stellar showing. This wine manages to balance the hints oak and buttery goodness with a bracing acidity that really sharpens the edges. Buttered popcorn and honey up front give way to slate and a long, lively finish. Just a pleasure really. I'm going to try, try to not touch anymore for a year so. yeah, right.
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NOSE: syrupy guava; some other tropical notes too (papaya?); oak; intensely rich bouquet.
BODY: light-medium golden yellow color; medium bodied
TASTE: good acidity -- it balances some incredible richness quite nicely; a bit of oak, but not too much; strong finish; good minerality. Still the best Chard. I've ever had.
B: 50, 5, 12, 16, 8 = 91
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Nose - heady, lemony, grassy, spicy, vanilla, lemon meringue. Luscious lemon meringue, spice, very complex and lovely, lots of herbs and spices. The best CA Chard I've had. 97+
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Much the same as the previous bottle, which was fantastic. Of the many things that stand out about this wine, I noticed that a few other CT tasting notes even refer to it as 'unoaked' which is a testament to how well the oak is actually managed during production as it actually is aged for nearly 2 years in French oak barrels, but only 35% new. This allows for all of the other aspects of the wine to shine and lets the oak just give it that little boost of complexity that puts it over the top.
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Palate of light butter, very lush pears and crisp citrus. Beautiful acidity with great length and a spectacular finish of apples, lime. This is without a doubt, my favorite thing that they have at Arcadian.
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Weekend in the Santa Ynez Valley; 3/27/2009-3/30/2009 (Solvang, Los Olivos, Lompoc, and surround areas): First tasted this at the winery, but then consumed this bottle the same night. Popped and poured. The nose is full of roasted nuts, apples, and soft, yet spicy vanilla. It coats the mouth with absolutely lovely lemon oil, creamy apple flavors, well balanced with vanilla and a touch of oak, and mild acidity. Not to sound like a broken record here, but this stuff is incredible. Drinking this at the winery with Assistant Winemaker Ryan Roarke, I just wanted to get up and give them a standing ovation. But I am left only with this space to verbally applaud them. Unfortunately it seems that previous tasters have already said it all. grafstrb stole my thoughts on my surprise at how much I liked this wine despite not being a big chardonnay drinker. WetRock already talked about how I never would have thought when drinking this wine next to Joe's top flight Pinot and Syrah's that I would be wanting more of this over the others. So I think I am left only to say that this is without a doubt THE best bottle of chardonnay that I have ever had. Damn...RoundersRob already said that too. Oh well. Bravo!
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-- popped and poured -- -- tasted non-blind over 2 days --
NOSE: super-ripe pears; somewhat leesy; oak; some tropical acidity. Very nice bouquet.
BODY: striking golden yellow color of great depth; medium-full bodied.
TASTE: lush mouthfeel featuring simple but very pleasing flavors of pear, yeast, and butter. Palate is full, and the finish is of medium length (40 sec.). It was put through malo, and was oak-fermented. On the rare occassions I do drink Chardonnay, I tend towards non-maloed chards that saw only steel ... nonetheless, this Chard. really appealed to me. Absolutely wonderful acidity and great depth of flavor. The flavors are rather simple right now, but I get the impression this is the type of Chard. that needs some time to grow into all that it can be. Hold.
B: 50, 5, 12, 16, 8 = 91
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Not much to add to the notes below except to say that it is better warmer with a bit of air. Absolutely fantastic. Together with Dehlinger, this is the best Chard I've ever had for anywhere near the price. Not missing Aubert at all.
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Still too young to pass much judgement but I like the fruit profile here, more citric than in years past. Fairly disjointed right now, that is to be expected. Love the finish when all things start to come together.
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Arcadian in the OC with Joe Davis (Jim Dietz's): I take notice when on a night of copious Pinot and Syrah my WOTN is a Chardonnay.....from California. Very stoney nose with sweet lemon laced with light butter. Lean styled yet well concentrated with excellent acidity. Excellent wine that will go a long time but drinks very well now. Outstanding.
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my 4th foray with this wine, and it continues to impress me. The best of all of the Sleepy Hollows, with what seems like the best qualities of the various vintages; lemon oil, slate and a mildly smokey nose. High acid, and flat out delicious.
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Beautiful straw color. Rich nose of melon and minerals. Perfect intensity. The right amount of oakTastes of melon, honey, and minerals. long finish. This wine was a pleasure to drink.
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The Wines of Arcadian ... plus a Dehlinger (Lucio's): Compared side by side with the 1999 Arcadian Sleepy Hollow Chardonnay, the '05 was more mellow and more my style of chardonnay. The flavor of the '05 (to me, anyway) was all about green tea, stone and green apples. Yahoo! I have some of these from the GCS spring shipment! Among my top three WOTN (among 10 wines).
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Opened four hours before serving. Light yellow color. Amazingly youthful and vibrant. Stony, lemony bouquet. Tight but still tremendous on the palate. Wonderfully concentrated, with a real citrus, stony-mineral bent to the flavors. Mouth-watering acidity. A little more angular than the 1999 at this point, but that's not unexpected. Less oak influence at this point, but you can feel its influence on the long finish. Terrific stuff. A-
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Another great showing for this wine, and one that both Shelley and I love. Very lean and racy with a long lemon-based fruit profile. The finish seems to just keep pulling at your palate - drawing more and more water on the back of your tongue. There is a touch of oak in the background, but it adds complexity and comes nowhere closer to interfering. A lovely wine that drinks great now, and should age nicely.
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If only more California chardonnays were like this... Green apples with bracing acidity. Awesome minerality. Agree with the chablis references. My first Arcadian chardonnay. Looking forward to many more.
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Steely lemon salt and smoke on the nose. Lean, yet focused line of pear and lemony acidity, with a little oak holding up the finish. This is my 2nd experience with this wine, which is rapidly becoming one of my favorite California chardonnays – especially at the price. Went particularly well with the oysters and lemon juice.
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Wow. Terrific nose of apricot and musk melon. Follows thru on palate with other stone fruit. The fruit is so precise and clean with good acidity and balance. I dont know if this goes thru ML (doesn't taste like it) or the nature of the barrel regime, but this is a very lovely, feminine and crisp Chard.
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A little tight at first opening but after 20 minutes in the decanter this was ready to go.
Notes of pineapple on the nose. On the palate there is the perfect dollup of oak detectable. Not too much -- not too little. Just enough to add an interesting character. Zesty acidity finishes it all off. A complete California chard. This is great stuff.
This obviously is still young, but a comment I heard was -- "Why bother aging this stuff -- it is terrific now"
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Excellent nose. Smells like caramelized apples, among other things. Lots of fruit, vibrant, pleasant acidity. Round mouthfeel and perfect balance. Did not detect any alcohol on the nose or pallete. An absolutely perfect Chardonnay with a roasted chicken and winter root vegetables. I would love to try this wine with a few more years on it.
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10/23/2021 - forceberry wrote: 94 Points
13,3% alcohol.
Very evolved and quite deep golden-yellow color with a pale bronze color. Big, sweetish and quite captivating nose with evolved aromas of bruised apple, peanut butter, some creamy notes of panna cotta, light honeyed nuances, a little bit of ripe nectarine, a hint of tomato stalk and a touch of canned pineapple. The wine is ripe, evolved and wonderfully complex on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full-bodied on the palate with layered flavors of browned butter, bruised apple, some peanut butter, a little bit of sweet caramel oak, light pineapple tones, a hint of ripe apricot and a touch of cooked cream. The surprisingly high acidity lends great sense of freshness, structure and precision to the wine. The finish is lively, long and harmonious with complex flavors of nectarine and pineapple, some creamy oak, light evolved notes of browned butter and bruised apple, a hint of stony minerality and a touch of roasted nuts.
A complex and beautifully evolved California Chardonnay that shows surprising freshness and sense of harmony. From the nose I expected the wine to be a lush, heavy and ponderous butter bomb, but instead it turned out to be surprisingly lithe, precise and - in lack of better word - very Burgundian on the palate. Many people in the tasting commented how they'd love to have the wine served blind in a tasting of older white Burgundies. The wine certainly shows some exotic notes and ripeness, but not to the extent of being outside of what's typical for a warmer-vintage Burgundy. All in all, a terrific and immensely enjoyable effort. A very complete wine; this was a steal for its quality at 39€.
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6/19/2021 - Satoshi Nakamoto Likes this wine: 95 Points
I picked up this magnum in the morning and popped it with friends later that night. I definitely don’t have diamond hands for wine.
Served at slightly colder than cellar temp. A beautiful and rich golden colored Chard. The aromas filled the place with intoxicating notes of butter, sweet corn, pineapple, lemon, salinity, and crisp minerality. Lovely wine with excellent structure, acidity, and persistence. Despite the richness, there’s so much balance and uniqueness here.
Everyone loved it! Such a great wine.
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11/24/2020 - grafstrb wrote: 93 Points
-- uncorked 20 min. before initial taste --
-- tasted non-blind over a few hours --
NOSE: rich; high-toned lemon custard; buttery.
BODY: golden yellow-amber color; medium bodied.
TASTE: rich; medium+ to high acidity; alc. not noticeable (13.3%); slightly salty well-embedded hint of mineral; medium-light oak; extremely good.
50, 5, 12, 17, 9 = 93
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11/15/2020 - Burgundy Al wrote: 89 Points
Dark color, but overall appropriately mature for its age. Floral and earth aromas with mature orchard fruit. Similar flavors with good concentration. While slightly musty to start, this cleaned up nicely within 10 minutes and drank well for over two hours, then slowly/ slightly fading after that point.
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10/25/2020 - grafstrb wrote:
-- popped and poured --
-- tasted non-blind over a few hours --
NOSE: intense, and high-toned; ripe pineapple; lemon; largely in-line with previous bottles and its age.
BODY: rich, orange-golden yellow/maize color of great depth; medium to medium-full bodied.
TASTE: palate reflects the Nose --- medium+ to high acidity; ripe pineapple; very nice showing; largely consistent with previous bottles, although this one does give the impression of starting to thin out. Gut impression score 91 - 92. Although this wine can handle more age, I'm drinking mine now and over the near term.
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6/13/2018 - jwebtx wrote:
I lied and held one several more years, but to no ill affect. Still golden in color, but with plenty of orchard fruit and acidity. A long and lovely finish. Still lovely.
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11/11/2017 - grafstrb wrote:
-- tasted a single pour non-blind over approx. 30 minutes --
-- from magnum --
NOSE: medium-light oak note; strong mineral note behind the fruit; simultaneously tropical and buttery, which has always been a trademark of this Sleepy Hollow vintage for me; smells younger than usual, perhaps owing to the magnum format.
BODY: golden yellow color; medium bodied.
TASTE: rich, but not overblown; mineral flavor pushes forward on the full finish; unmistakably Chardonnay; alc. not noticeable; without CT, I wouldn't even be able to start recalling how many times I've had this wine, and it has always pleased --- today was no exception; between the rich golden yellow color and the giving nature of its aromatics and flavors I've always wondered if this would age quickly --- it hasn't. It's aging at a very slow pace, and this will go another 10+ years easily; not yet at peak; Drink Now or Hold. Excellent.
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6/16/2017 - Burgundy Al wrote: 89 Points
Popped-and-poured. Dark golden color with good concentration, and an age appropriate degree of maturity. Baked apple and lemon curd with rich buttery character, then some butterscotch emerging with more time in glass. Drinking well now, with the ability to hold through at least 2020. Very good value wine.
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4/16/2017 - WetRock wrote:
Getting that deep golden color. Very rich palate. It didn't really show much acidity which made that richness feel a bit weighty. Tasty but not exactly built the way you hope for this sort of wine. Given the state of the fruit it's possible it could take on some leanness and drink more balanced. It certainly didn't seem like it was falling away.
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1/14/2017 - tjib13 Likes this wine:
deep gold color. mineral, nutty nose. full mouth feel balanced with acidic energy that is slowly coated by a rich finish that is finally lifted with mineral. great finish!
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3/20/2016 - grafstrb wrote:
-- one hour decant before initial taste --
-- tasted non-blind over approx. 4 hours --
This bottle seems to have more energy than most previous bottles. Still has that dark golden yellow hue. Acidity is medium-high. Doesn't taste as butterscotchy as I've come to expect from this wine; rich, without being clumsy --- this wine has been so consistent over the years it's very easy for me to forget that time is actually passing; excellent showing for an excellent wine. Drink or Hold.
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7/18/2015 - grafstrb wrote:
Arcadian Retrospective in the O.C. (Casa del Dietz): -- bottle opened at least a couple hours before tasting --
-- tasted a single pour non-blind over 10 – 15 minutes --
NOSE: buttery and rich with some light oak and mineral tones --- same as it always has been; seems to be evolving at a glacial pace.
BODY: golden yellow color of great depth; medium to medium-full bodied.
TASTE: rich, relaxed fruit -- lemony -- right in the middle of the fat/butter and bracing/tropical styles of Chardonnay; good acidity; wooly mineral; again, this wine presents today just as it always has for me: it's an unabashed California Chardonnay with a healthy dose of acidity lending some lift; alc. not noticeable.
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4/4/2015 - grafstrb wrote: flawed
TCA
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3/1/2015 - grafstrb wrote:
-- bottle was open for a few hours before I had my glass --
-- tasted a single glass non-blind over approx. 1 hour --
NOSE: expressive; ripe lemon curd; medium-light oak
BODY: rich golden yellow color; medium to medium-full bodied
TASTE: rich lemon; medium+ acidity; fruit flavors are starting to mature; probably in its peak drink window right now, where I suspect it will remain for the next 2 or 3 years.
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10/17/2014 - jwebtx wrote:
This bottle was still showing great. Golden color, but not other hints of oxidation or age. I would call this at peak and sound bottles can hold there for a couple more years. I won't wait that long given the apparent bottle variation.
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8/3/2014 - Ali wrote: 91 Points
Probably a little past its peak, but still very enjoyable with clam chowder and lobster.
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7/8/2014 - jwebtx wrote:
dark gold, rich, tasty
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12/7/2013 - pjhr Likes this wine: 94 Points
Simply delicious! Continues to drink beautifully!
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9/7/2013 - gutt22 Likes this wine:
13.3% alcohol. This is just a tremendously tasty wine. Medium yellow color. Gorgeous nose of stony apple, pear, lemon, and light oak notes. In the mouth, richly fruited and concentrated but on a superbly elegant frame. Stony notes back up the apple, green apple, and pear fruit, with terrifically bright acidity. Long finish that shows a touch of creamy oak and lots of lip-smacking fruit. A
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8/27/2013 - Neecies Likes this wine: 92 Points
Impressive for Cal Chard of this age from a warm vintage. Riper and fatter than the Burgundy style Joe is known for, with butterscotch and honeysuckle notes, but its held together by good acidity. Drinks well as a sipper or carefully paired with assertively seasoned food. No oxidation.
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6/28/2013 - yipen Likes this wine:
This is a Chard with acidity and proper oak treatment, The wine looks Yellow gold colored. The legs are Slow. It smells like Pineapple, Banana, Vanilla, and Butterscotch. The body is Medium/Full. The wine has Round texture. The wine finishes Long.
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6/2/2013 - tbone wrote:
Last of a six pack and the best one yet. Large scaled for sure and showing hints of maturity. Losing a little acidity but making up for it with lushness, a little butterscotch and subtle pit fruits. Improved as it warmed. Smooth as silk and utterly delicious.
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5/7/2013 - Neecies wrote: flawed
Very nice but quite mature. Wouldn't have been disappointed--it's an 8 year old Cal Chard after all--if the previous bottle (acquired from different source) I'd opened a few months before hadn't been so pristeenly youthful.
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4/15/2013 - tederf wrote: 93 Points
Still my favorite Cali Chardonnay. Citrus, white fruit, hint of vanilla. No obvious oak. Acid makes the mouth water. Long finish. Glad I have 3 more. Still has plenty of life.
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2/25/2013 - tyvoodoo wrote:
Golden shiny color with yellow like fruit on the nose. Plenty of lemon zest and meringue which stays fresh and doesn't stray into the tropical category. Large and full but well balanced with ample acidity. Seemed to lack a bit of freshness at first but brightened up with some air. Not sure how this will age but very enjoyable now.
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8/6/2012 - jwebtx wrote:
big without being cloying at all. a finish that dances on the tongue and keeps it charged for well over 1 minute. orchard fruit with lemon and maybe guava. a small dose of butter, but not the horrid popcorn kind. a great cali chard. i would serve next to an Aubert or kongsgaard anytime.
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8/5/2012 - rjoyer wrote:
Followed over 2 days, with consistent notes throughout. Beginning to show, slightly, its age with a more yellow color both in hue and bouquet than prior bottles. She also seems to be gaining richness with a distinct waxiness to the still vibrant fruit. Excellent acidity, and very well proportioned. Perhaps in the early stages of developing secondary nuances, which may put this in the hold or drink now bin depending on you like your chardonnay. I'll be holding as I believe there is great upside to come.
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6/30/2012 - WetRock wrote:
Buttery lemon fruit being a little bit rich but the palate feel is light and clean. Never heavy with a good amount of acidity to pick it up. Continue to be a winner. Very good.
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12/31/2011 - cartime wrote: 90 Points
Butterscotch, tropical citrus, white peach and oaky spice. Bright, minerally acidity and good length. I think the comparisons to Chablis and PM are a little exaggerated, but I do think that while having many typical CA chard characteristics with tropical fruit and plenty of oak, this has a good deal of acidity and minerality that gives it great balance and allows it to be enjoyed with food.
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11/3/2011 - pjhr wrote: 93 Points
An Old World approach to Calif. Chard that is a welcome change from the over oaked norm.
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10/1/2011 - Garrett Langley Likes this wine: 92 Points
Oaky, apple nose
Crisp, long (60s) finish of soft oak and bright acidity
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9/17/2011 - gregg g wrote:
Wow is this good. Drinking like 1er Cru Puligny. Aromas are generous and intoxicating. The flavors are sharp and focused and pure. I love the spine of acidity that carries the flavor profile through. The mid palate is full and long with great length on the finish leaving lingering flavors. The wood is really unobtrusive here at least to my palate, with perhaps a touch of creaminess as it's influence. So happy to have a few more and thank you Joe D for a great wine and to Greg K for the amazing bargain.
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7/27/2011 - Winedt wrote: 92 Points
Silky long finish!
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7/24/2011 - Diane (LI) wrote:
I've had 3 bottles and each one has been so different. This one reminded me of Chablis with minerality and a hint of citrus. Beautiful finish.
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6/30/2011 - YoRi wrote: 91 Points
Dégusté le 23 juin dernier Peu de notes
Belle couleur foncée et non brouillée, avec des reflets dorés. dentelles sur le verre.
Nez un peu fermé au début puis s'ouvrant sur des arômes de pêches (Yo) ou d'ananas (Ri) et de miel. Boisé typique de Ch Californien mais sans excès.
Texture en bouche ample et riche et avec une acidité agréablement surprenante. Continuité des arômes. De l'ananas frais et non sirupeux en boite !
Persistance moyenne à longue dominé par le boisé.
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5/9/2011 - h8oopus wrote: 91 Points
Good minerality, acidity, balanced, nice fruit but not overwhelming.
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5/8/2011 - tyvoodoo wrote: 91 Points
Really nice chardonnay overall and one that continues to get better with air. Rich nose of stony minerals, lemon zest, sweet creamy smoky oak and white peach fruit. Palate is filled with more lemon fruit, bright acidic backbone and a full rich mouthfeel. One of my favorite CA chardonnays that I had this year and it seems to be developing nicely.
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4/26/2011 - ron m wrote:
This was very good. Nose was all candied caramel apples, but palate was very well balanced and minerally. I liked it a lot, but the wife didn't. Go figure. Good acidity and a long finish, 13.4% ABV. Unfortunately only had one of these...
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4/3/2011 - T-Mac wrote:
Evolving very nicely. Plenty of accurate notes have already been written on this, so not much to add. Simply stated, this is just a flat out terrific Chardonnay.
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4/2/2011 - grafstrb wrote:
OCP4W IX (WCC in Irvine, CA): -- tasted blind over 10 minutes --
-- this was white wine # 27 --
Upon smelling, I immediately knew this was an Arcadian Chardonnay, and its performance was quite typical of Joe's SH Chard.. For those of you unfamiliar with the wine: it walks a fine line between a rich full-bodied typical CA Chard and a leaner more mineral-driven White Burg.. A very fine wine.
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4/2/2011 - jhannah27 wrote:
Last bottle of this amazing wine. It seems to be transitioning to a more caramel and soft oak place over the typical tropical fruits and citrus. Still very balanced and complex. I'll have to seek out somemore of these.
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2/26/2011 - tederf wrote: 91 Points
One of my favorite Chardonnays. Great acid - not much oak - citrus, white fruit. Long lasting flavors. Served at room temp.
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2/13/2011 - Diane (LI) wrote:
The color was darker than I expected. The flavor profile was not as bright as the bottle I opened in August. I feel there were signs of oxidation.
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2/4/2011 - MindMuse wrote: 91 Points
Poached pear, butter, almond. Weighty and lengthy. Quite Nice.
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1/2/2011 - rjoyer wrote:
I have had way too many of these for such a young bottling, but I am continually impressed with this wine. To my palate, Joe's '05 Sleepy Hollow represents everything a great young California Chardonnay should be. It has vibrantly ripe yellow citrus fruits that are tempered by great acidity and minerality, which work together to give superb length on the finish. I find it complex, full of drive and energy and just flat out delicious. In short, I consider this reference-grade material that has many years of positive development in front of it.
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1/1/2011 - rjoyer wrote:
I have had way too many of these for such a young bottling, but I am continually impressed with this wine. To my palate, Joe's '05 Sleepy Hollow represents everything a great young California Chardonnay should be. It has vibrantly ripe yellow citrus fruits that are tempered by great acidity and minerality, which work together to give superb length on the finish. I find it complex, full of drive and energy and just flat out delicious. In short, I consider this reference-grade material that has many years of positive development in front of it.
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12/2/2010 - grafstrb wrote: flawed
oxidized, but not as badly as the other 375mL opened this evening
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12/2/2010 - grafstrb wrote: flawed
oxidized 375mL
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11/20/2010 - yipen wrote:
It is a big chard, rich with acid, need to pair with food for sure
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8/19/2010 - Diane (LI) wrote:
A top California Chard for me. Nice balance of minerals and apricots, acidity and creaminess (not at all creamy) with just a hint of vanilla. I'm a big fan of Arcadian's Sleepy Hollow Vineyard.
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7/8/2010 - Jack O'Brien wrote:
Really nice Chard from CA. Good medium between Burg and CA. Fruity saline / oceanic nose with pineapple fruits, earth, almond and honey. Finish was a little short but one of the better CA Chards.
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6/5/2010 - DougLee wrote: 92 Points
Pale gold color. Nose of granny apple, citrus, mown hay, ripe pear. Lush but disciplined fruit profile of applecore, lime, and grapefuit notes on the palate nicely underpinned by freshening acidic spine and a hint of austerity. Long, echoing finish with minerals and white fruit. Oak notes are present but fully integrated and hardly noticeable. Really an outstanding effort for a very reasonable price.
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5/31/2010 - decaturwinedude wrote: 90 Points
Blind- Yellow, buttery color. Pear and floral notes on the nose. Rich palate shows some lemon-laced acidity. Finishes dry with some sweet tannin. Very nice. With air, there is buttered popcorn nose and more minerality on the back side.
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5/30/2010 - matter_mitch wrote: 95 Points
This is a wonderful Chard. strong citrus and mineral nose. very round mouth feel with great acidity. a blend of orchard friut flavors, white peaches to granny smith apples. Long finish. This is one of the best Cali chards I've had, and a great value as well. retails for roughy $30-40 bucks.
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5/23/2010 - pgaesq wrote: 91 Points
Very nice effort from Joe Davis. Burgundian in its nose and on the palate. Shades of a 1er cur Meursault. Peach & Pear fruit aromas with nice acidity and minerality.
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4/12/2010 - decaturwinedude wrote: 91 Points
2005 Arcadian Chardonnay Sleepy Hollow Vineyard--Again the wine manages to balance hints of vanilla oak and buttered popcorn goodness with bracing acidity. The acidity really sharpens the edges. Slightly stemmy along with lemon and honey up front. Gives way to slate and a long, lively finish. Just a pleasure with the grilled snook my dad had caught earlier in the day.
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4/9/2010 - Cheryl wrote:
Wines with Lunch at Ko (New York, NY): Good mouthfeel, creamy and low acid. Lots of fruit and a little sweetness. Really enjoyable despite a slightly short finish. Ok+
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3/19/2010 - jhannah27 Likes this wine:
One year minus 7 days since the first time I tasted this wine, and it just gets better and better. Seems to have gained a bit of weight since the last time that I had it in July of 09. The spice and stewed apple flavors have become more prominent, which makes this a meal unto itself. So much complexity and depth of flavor. Nothing in the world like it.
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3/5/2010 - gutt22 wrote:
Positively awesome. Developing nicely and still so youthful. Served near room temperature, and it showed beautifully. Stony, slightly tart fruit on the nose, with a background note of oak. In the mouth, simultaneously sumptuous because of the generosity of its fruit and steely, with its racy minerality and bright acidity. Extremely long finish. A delight. A
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2/8/2010 - Wayne Richmon wrote:
Enjoyed by all.
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12/31/2009 - pjhr wrote: 93 Points
Delicious floral and tropical fruits on the nose and palate with wonderful mouth feel and acidity on the finish. Great with Maine lobster!
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12/30/2009 - the godfather wrote: 93 Points
what a nose, super finish, would rock with food
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12/30/2009 - JOsgood wrote: 93 Points
One of the very best California Chards I've had in a long time. Amazing nose. Great fruit and minerality on the palate. Nice use of oak. Great finish. Superb.
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12/26/2009 - EMichels wrote: 87 Points
No real nose; Served cold; Clean; Lemon; Strong acidity
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11/3/2009 - trucrime wrote: 92 Points
Nice, stemmy nose. The flavor of lemon meringue molecular gastronomy foam. A plush, creamy. mouth feel with a hint of smoky austerity. Joe says it will grow into its carmelly, creme bruee maturity as the years go by.
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10/11/2009 - grafstrb wrote:
Arcadian 2009 Fall Open House: -- tasted non-blind at Arcadian's 2009 Fall Open House --
I got nothing new to say about this wine. Same notes as 3/15/09 and 7/18/09. Simply awesome. Will age well.
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9/2/2009 - tederf wrote: 93 Points
Great as usual. One of my favorite chards.
Went great with lobster bisque and also a white anchovy appetizer.
Vanilla, some butter and a bit of citrus. Great mouth feel and the acid made the mouth water. Very long finish. Great transition on the mid-palete from the vanilla and butter to some honey, citrus and a bit of melon and allspice. Delicious now but will hold up for years.
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8/18/2009 - jasonh wrote: 93 Points
Lots of lemony richness on the nose. Like lemon custard. Well maybe not that rich. This is very concentrated and rich but perfectly balance with the copious amount of acid. Very long finish. Easy to like and should have a long life.
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8/16/2009 - decaturwinedude wrote: 92 Points
Another stellar showing. This wine manages to balance the hints oak and buttery goodness with a bracing acidity that really sharpens the edges. Buttered popcorn and honey up front give way to slate and a long, lively finish. Just a pleasure really. I'm going to try, try to not touch anymore for a year so. yeah, right.
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7/18/2009 - grafstrb wrote: 91 Points
-- popped and poured --
-- tasted non-blind --
NOSE: syrupy guava; some other tropical notes too (papaya?); oak; intensely rich bouquet.
BODY: light-medium golden yellow color; medium bodied
TASTE: good acidity -- it balances some incredible richness quite nicely; a bit of oak, but not too much; strong finish; good minerality. Still the best Chard. I've ever had.
B: 50, 5, 12, 16, 8 = 91
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7/12/2009 - lbrent wrote: 93 Points
Outstanding crisp nose, solid fruit with a great citrus taste that sneaks up. Perfect use of oak and the low alc. is a great thing.
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6/26/2009 - yhn wrote: 97 Points
Nose - heady, lemony, grassy, spicy, vanilla, lemon meringue.
Luscious lemon meringue, spice, very complex and lovely, lots of herbs and spices.
The best CA Chard I've had. 97+
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5/8/2009 - Rob MacKay wrote: 93 Points
Much the same as the previous bottle, which was fantastic. Of the many things that stand out about this wine, I noticed that a few other CT tasting notes even refer to it as 'unoaked' which is a testament to how well the oak is actually managed during production as it actually is aged for nearly 2 years in French oak barrels, but only 35% new. This allows for all of the other aspects of the wine to shine and lets the oak just give it that little boost of complexity that puts it over the top.
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5/4/2009 - jbrekke wrote:
Outstanding.
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4/11/2009 - dmatley wrote: 92 Points
Outstanding Chardonnay. Nice core of fruit with lemon and a mineral edge. Fantastic.
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4/6/2009 - clayfu wrote: 93 Points
Palate of light butter, very lush pears and crisp citrus. Beautiful acidity with great length and a spectacular finish of apples, lime. This is without a doubt, my favorite thing that they have at Arcadian.
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3/27/2009 - jhannah27 wrote: 94 Points
Weekend in the Santa Ynez Valley; 3/27/2009-3/30/2009 (Solvang, Los Olivos, Lompoc, and surround areas): First tasted this at the winery, but then consumed this bottle the same night. Popped and poured. The nose is full of roasted nuts, apples, and soft, yet spicy vanilla. It coats the mouth with absolutely lovely lemon oil, creamy apple flavors, well balanced with vanilla and a touch of oak, and mild acidity. Not to sound like a broken record here, but this stuff is incredible. Drinking this at the winery with Assistant Winemaker Ryan Roarke, I just wanted to get up and give them a standing ovation. But I am left only with this space to verbally applaud them. Unfortunately it seems that previous tasters have already said it all. grafstrb stole my thoughts on my surprise at how much I liked this wine despite not being a big chardonnay drinker. WetRock already talked about how I never would have thought when drinking this wine next to Joe's top flight Pinot and Syrah's that I would be wanting more of this over the others. So I think I am left only to say that this is without a doubt THE best bottle of chardonnay that I have ever had. Damn...RoundersRob already said that too. Oh well. Bravo!
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3/27/2009 - Rob MacKay wrote: 93 Points
Santa Barbara Wine Tasting Weekend; 3/27/2009-3/30/2009 (Solvang, Lompoc, etc): Very nicely done with an excellent balance of fruit, oak, and texture. Alcohol is nicely managed at 13.3%. No single element dominates the wine and each taste leaves you wanting more. One of the best Chardonnay's I've had.
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3/17/2009 - peternelson wrote: 93 Points
Family Wine Makers: Grt complexity, frt, mineral, oak, balnaced, long fin., kick ass a’s. Amazing really.
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3/15/2009 - grafstrb wrote: 91 Points
-- popped and poured --
-- tasted non-blind over 2 days --
NOSE: super-ripe pears; somewhat leesy; oak; some tropical acidity. Very nice bouquet.
BODY: striking golden yellow color of great depth; medium-full bodied.
TASTE: lush mouthfeel featuring simple but very pleasing flavors of pear, yeast, and butter. Palate is full, and the finish is of medium length (40 sec.). It was put through malo, and was oak-fermented. On the rare occassions I do drink Chardonnay, I tend towards non-maloed chards that saw only steel ... nonetheless, this Chard. really appealed to me. Absolutely wonderful acidity and great depth of flavor. The flavors are rather simple right now, but I get the impression this is the type of Chard. that needs some time to grow into all that it can be. Hold.
B: 50, 5, 12, 16, 8 = 91
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2/20/2009 - shaneajohnson wrote: 93 Points
Not much to add to the notes below except to say that it is better warmer with a bit of air. Absolutely fantastic. Together with Dehlinger, this is the best Chard I've ever had for anywhere near the price. Not missing Aubert at all.
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2/1/2009 - willowtree59 wrote: 92 Points
perfectly clean, rich chardonnay. Yeasty, flowery, lemon creme brulee nose, silky unctuous mouthfeel. 30+ second finish. Love everything about this wine.
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12/31/2008 - Dave Mci wrote: 92 Points
Drank over the summer - very nice, unoaked and balanced.
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12/22/2008 - srigisich wrote: 88 Points
Still too young to pass much judgement but I like the fruit profile here, more citric than in years past. Fairly disjointed right now, that is to be expected. Love the finish when all things start to come together.
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12/7/2008 - WetRock wrote:
Arcadian in the OC with Joe Davis (Jim Dietz's): I take notice when on a night of copious Pinot and Syrah my WOTN is a Chardonnay.....from California. Very stoney nose with sweet lemon laced with light butter. Lean styled yet well concentrated with excellent acidity. Excellent wine that will go a long time but drinks very well now. Outstanding.
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12/7/2008 - jasonh wrote:
Arcadian OL w/ Joe and Chez Dietz
Drinking really well but I will hold off. Nice richness with butterscotch but the lemony acid dials it right in.
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12/6/2008 - rjoyer wrote:
my 4th foray with this wine, and it continues to impress me. The best of all of the Sleepy Hollows, with what seems like the best qualities of the various vintages; lemon oil, slate and a mildly smokey nose. High acid, and flat out delicious.
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9/26/2008 - charbo wrote:
same as the first. A minerality feel with a touch of butter peeac and citrus.
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9/20/2008 - jwsmith wrote: 91 Points
Sweet balanced and very good even great.
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8/30/2008 - lpollack wrote: 94 Points
Beautiful straw color. Rich nose of melon and minerals. Perfect intensity. The right amount of oakTastes of melon, honey, and minerals. long finish. This wine was a pleasure to drink.
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8/27/2008 - wino_tim wrote: 81 Points
While warm and expressive on the nose, this had the same astringent finish that turned me off with the '03.
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8/12/2008 - scofer wrote: 92 Points
The Wines of Arcadian ... plus a Dehlinger (Lucio's): Compared side by side with the 1999 Arcadian Sleepy Hollow Chardonnay, the '05 was more mellow and more my style of chardonnay. The flavor of the '05 (to me, anyway) was all about green tea, stone and green apples. Yahoo! I have some of these from the GCS spring shipment! Among my top three WOTN (among 10 wines).
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8/12/2008 - gutt22 wrote:
Opened four hours before serving. Light yellow color. Amazingly youthful and vibrant. Stony, lemony bouquet. Tight but still tremendous on the palate. Wonderfully concentrated, with a real citrus, stony-mineral bent to the flavors. Mouth-watering acidity. A little more angular than the 1999 at this point, but that's not unexpected. Less oak influence at this point, but you can feel its influence on the long finish. Terrific stuff. A-
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7/23/2008 - rjoyer wrote: 92 Points
Another great showing for this wine, and one that both Shelley and I love. Very lean and racy with a long lemon-based fruit profile. The finish seems to just keep pulling at your palate - drawing more and more water on the back of your tongue. There is a touch of oak in the background, but it adds complexity and comes nowhere closer to interfering. A lovely wine that drinks great now, and should age nicely.
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6/28/2008 - Cheryl wrote:
We ordered this off the menu in a half bottle. It was good, a little dry, not as much fruit as the Chasseaur from the night before.
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6/26/2008 - jbrekke wrote: 93 Points
If only more California chardonnays were like this... Green apples with bracing acidity. Awesome minerality. Agree with the chablis references. My first Arcadian chardonnay. Looking forward to many more.
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6/21/2008 - charbo wrote:
the fruits were exact wtih a rock/mineral feel. very enjoyable
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5/17/2008 - jwsmith wrote: 91 Points
Excellent very chbalis like..
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5/14/2008 - rjoyer wrote:
Steely lemon salt and smoke on the nose. Lean, yet focused line of pear and lemony acidity, with a little oak holding up the finish. This is my 2nd experience with this wine, which is rapidly becoming one of my favorite California chardonnays – especially at the price. Went particularly well with the oysters and lemon juice.
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5/12/2008 - Colima74 wrote: 94 Points
Wow. Terrific nose of apricot and musk melon. Follows thru on palate with other stone fruit. The fruit is so precise and clean with good acidity and balance. I dont know if this goes thru ML (doesn't taste like it) or the nature of the barrel regime, but this is a very lovely, feminine and crisp Chard.
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5/11/2008 - popquizkid wrote: 93 Points
A little tight at first opening but after 20 minutes in the decanter this was ready to go.
Notes of pineapple on the nose. On the palate there is the perfect dollup of oak detectable. Not too much -- not too little. Just enough to add an interesting character. Zesty acidity finishes it all off. A complete California chard. This is great stuff.
This obviously is still young, but a comment I heard was -- "Why bother aging this stuff -- it is terrific now"
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4/25/2008 - jwsmith wrote: 91 Points
Excellent very rich and fat, no oak at all, reminds me of a young Le Clos...
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11/20/2007 - woodchuckwinemaker wrote: 94 Points
Excellent nose. Smells like caramelized apples, among other things. Lots of fruit, vibrant, pleasant acidity. Round mouthfeel and perfect balance. Did not detect any alcohol on the nose or pallete. An absolutely perfect Chardonnay with a roasted chicken and winter root vegetables. I would love to try this wine with a few more years on it.
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