PnP - again cork broke near the bottom but extracted without a problem. Medium light gold which darkens noticeably with air. A complex mix of citrus and tropical fruits on the nose with a hint of marzipan. Lovely texture which is rich but balanced with acidity on the finish. Long finish. Lovely but perhaps beginning to fade at age 16.
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These types of wines tend to not be in my wheelhouse but I'll make an exception for this one because it is outstanding. Yellow fruit, pear, almond paste, and a mouth feel that just says luxury. I'm a little surprised that a 2007 has held up this well and it looks like it could go much longer.
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I've had mixed reactions to Marcassin over the years, with friends all generously sharing various cuvees and vintages. I have found the oak high at times, the density and ripeness not to my liking. But, having this wine last night, again with the generosity of Ramon, I was very impressed with how the wine showed. Yes, some toasty wood is in the aroma, and one thing we did to help was to just keep the temperature cooler, which definitely served the wine well. Golden apple, honeyed lime. Lemon candy too. A long, enduring finish with a wine that I would call balanced and at 15+ years now, holding together well...retasting today from the last few ounces from yesterday. There is more of a heaviness to the wine, a density. In part, I let the wine sit out from the fridge, probably longer than I would like. So, it's warmed up some, and that allows some of that oak and heavier texture to be present. Keep this on the cooler side to help moderate some of the richness, at least if you want to lean the wine's edges.
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PnP. Cork broke with Screwpull but Ah-So got it out with ease. Bright color. Lemon curd, very true expression, consistent with other vintages from Marcassin. Outstanding in every way.
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Agree with SDR and J@$son, past its prime. From crumbling cork to deep yellow color did not hold much promise -- and delivered exactly that. Drinkable but a shame in no way the wine I recall sipping years ago.
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Possibly something went wrong with this bottle since it tasted very old. Not madeirized or oxidized, no sherry but way too much butterscotch and too little acidity. No rating.
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Interesting as the cork broke in half similar to some other CellarTracker’s. That said, the wine was just fine and delicious. Golden color that has incredible color saturation. Citrus, honey and green apple nose. Just a touch of oak. Rich and vibrant palate that is so deep and extracted. A great bottle that further cements my opinion that this is the top new world Chardonnay out there. Great. (96)
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Dark golden color. Damn. No nose. Not oxed but past its prime! Viscous in texture with simple lemon undertones and a spicy caramel nutty finish. Short finish. Little flabby on the attack, lacks acid. Yeah, this is falling apart. Past its prime. Bummer.
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In the spirit of "drink the good stuff" decided to open one of these with grilled scallops. Cork broke in half but got it out without difficulty. Medium gold which darkens noticeably with air as seen previously with other bottles of this wine. Citrus rather than tropical fruit notes on the nose; on the palate this has very good body but balanced with nice acidity on the finish. Improves with air for 30 minutes or so then might be beginning to fade. Lovely; not as over the top as the 08 but a better food wine.
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Aromas of papaya, mango, hazelnut, orange marmalade and touch of vanilla. Flavors of mango, papaya, pineapple, butterscotch and lemon pie. Ends with a awesome finish of 50+ seconds with tropical fruit and vanilla notes. This is drinking awesome and showing not signs of fading. Incredible Chardonnay.
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This is impressively good at age twelve. The sometimes excessive oak and tropical fruit of young Marcassin has been tamed by time. It’s still reasonably lively yet composed and even elegant in California Chardonnay terms. There’s enough pineapple in there to remind me we are definitely in the USA but not so much I think I am drinking a piña colada. Memorable wine.
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Pnp, short decant, drank over 1 hour. Started out smooth & delicious fruit, but then after 30-45 min got a funky, petrol aroma. I think it needed a longer decant and more time to drink it. Everyone felt this has lots of time to age and was in a weird state right now.
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Agree with comments as the wine aerated over time flavor profile intensified. Decanted two hours prior to first glass, served few degrees warmer than usual.
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Had alongside an ‘06 Montrachet. Which was great. This was significantly more open, giving, and expressive with butterscotch, glycerine, lemon, orange peel, peach, crushed rocks and deliciousness. Wish I had a case of these. I see no signs of it slowing down or going anywhere.
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Wow, not often an eleven year old Sonoma Chardonnay decanted for two hours just keeps getting better with dinner. Actually, I little tight upon opening, but became a beautiful, rich, complex Chardonnay with citrus, peaches, butterscotch, minerals, and rocks. Full bodied wine with a very long finish, and great acidity. This wine still had plenty of time in it. Impressive!
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Still perhaps just a bit young, this wine had very good acidity balancing against a somewhat thick honey/paraffin texture, with notes of citrus and butterscotch. Better as it sits in the glass a while, and best yet slightly on the warm side. Still some upside, I would probably decant this for an hour if I were to open one in the next year or two.
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Golden yellow. Not a huge nose but what was there was vanilla, apple and apricot. I agree with the winery that this is at its best at cellar temperature or warmer after a decant. Beautiful balance of fruit, oak, acidity and mature savory flavors. Drinking wonderfully now. Nothing out of place or over done. Wow!
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Going Big at Dan's (Dan's House): Drank a good-sized glass over about 1.5 hours, waiting for the oak to subside. Matchstick, sulphur, and oak, and oak, and oak, and OAK. A 2004 of this drank this year was not nearly as oaky. This has surpassed my threshold. It is still a well-made wine.
A different expression of this wine due to its increased depth and transformation from simple pineapple juice as the dominant flavor to grilled pineapple, introducing an intriguing smokier note. Sound acids, oak is obviously there but integrated. Not an exemplar of complexity, the charm is in the stylish pineapple fruit.
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Opened day 1 had one glass; bottle open an hour. Cork back in and onto day 2. Medium dark yellow color. Bright lemon and yellow fruits. Nutty and leesy. This could easily be mistaken for a Meursault. Fresh and clean yet rich and opulent. Much more elegant than the vast majority of California Chards. Nice effort.
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Incredible dinner wines with friends (Screagle, Krug, Yquem, Bryant, +++) (Our home): Funny, this is the second time I have had this wine and both times, part of a dinner with Screaming Eagle. Loved it then (5 years ago) and love it now. The cork crumbled on opening and it seemed the bottom of the cork was stuck to the glass. I fished out as much cork as I could and we went with it. Medium golden in color. The nose is great with lemon chiffon pie, a very slight note of oxidation and just a hint of vanilla. On the palate, this is deep and complex. Layers of flavors and a slight under layer of earthiness. Showing just a hint of maturity, this wine will continue to develop. Lemon creme, lemons with great acidity. George noted that it didn't seem as sweet/ripe as it did in its youth (a good thing). Long, long finish. Great with food.
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The Second Avery Family Cellar Wine Dinner - Really old wines (The Grill Room at the Rosewood DC): Deeply toned nose displaying sweet yellow fruit, peach, mango, caramel, a hint of lanoline and jalapeno and mineral. Excellent concentration, dense yellow fruit driven palate impression, bright acidity, medium mineral and a medium to long spicy finish with a hint of heat at the end. It is riper and deeper than the 10.
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PnP. Medium greenish gold. No sign of oxidation. Subtle nose (for Marcassin) of a combination of ripe fruits (peach, pear) and marzipan and vanilla cream. On the palate this clearly has higher acidity and less ripeness/intensity than the 2008, but in some ways is a better balanced wine. Went quite well with grilled sea scallops. Nice wine that perhaps doesn't reach the heights of some other vintages, but is more versatile at table. This seems to be at maturity but not in danger of cracking up.
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This is my first Marcassin Chardonnay, so I can't comment on how it's aged or compared to other vintages. But... WOW. The color is a gorgeous golden honey. The nose is beautiful toasted marshmallow. Lemon, sour orange, barnyard hay, honey, vanilla. The finish lasts for minutes. Its a bit acidic, and its a big wine - I think this would be even better in a year or two. Definitely getting some more of this vintage!
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A Matter of Taste (Meritage Resort & Spa Napa, CA): 90-92: Gaining some age, not as much fruit coming through, nice rounded edges, creamy, very rich and viscous on the palate. This didn't show as well as I had expected. Could have been outshone by other bottles of the night, either way QpR is tough for me to justify on this wine.
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Not quite as dazzling this time yet still very impressive due to its intense sweet pineapple core of fruit and verve. A bit less fragrant than some bottles of this wine. Clearly California in style and still one of the best, though I wonder for the first time if a more recent vintage would be even more impressive.
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Lost at Sea: Rich honied note, vanilla, oak at first whiff, but blew off to reveal a nicely aged wine with nectarine, peach cobbler, and slight peach pit notes, super slick, extremely well-balanced on the palate, great concentration but well-integrated at this point and seems like it may have went on a diet to shed it's dense fat! It's almost elegant! (compared to the '09 Marcassin). It really went well with the rich salmon and of all things, fantastic with the dense octopus with a strong mole sauce. It stood up to it where the Burgs would have drowned. Big Cali Chard ain't so bad after all! However, the '09 was over the top and too much. Not sure if it will mellow out and lose some weight and oak over the next few years.
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For a long time this '07 Marcassin has been my favorite California Chardonnay and I don't see any reason to change my opinion now. The only question was how well it would age and the answer is "quite well." Perhaps it has lost just a bit of youthful exuberance but there's still plenty of ripe bold fruit in the tank yet admirable restraint. Both K and Brian thought it was Burgundian in style, while I demurred. The fruit is more orange zest than pineapple and the acidity is a touch low. It's fragrant, mouth filling and immediately delicious.
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Gorgeous, rich, citrus fruit with flinty, smokey, oaky, and honey flavors, excellent structure, terrific viscosity, long finish, this is great, great wine, Chablis-like
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Wonderful fruit and floral notes on the nose and palate with silky smooth texture and oaky notes culminating in a long evolving finish. Went beautifully with Whitefish à la Meunière.
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A little petrol, a lot of yellow fruits and vanilla on the nose. The palate is deep and smooth with some lime pit and a lot of chard traits with some oak weaving in and out. Constantly changing. Really good.
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This is a sexy Chardonnay. Nuts, baking spices and some herbs on the nose. The palate is pretty thick but full of yellow orchard fruit, some citrus and more of that nutty nose. I really like it.
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Pretty yellow. Mineral driven nose with multiple layers of fruit, oak is well integrated. Peach, lemon, butterscotch, with elegance but a super long finish. This was a Coravin opened tasting. Will revisit and give it more air time soon
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Bought on release and stored in a cold cellar, the wine was served double blind to an experienced tasting group. The wine seemed like it was much older, due to its golden color. Some of the freshness seems to have dropped, as I have tasted the wine often since release. One could still find ripe citrus notes, but clearly, this is on a rapid pace of maturity and should not be aged for years from this point forward.
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Much less fruit forward than the Three Sisters from this same vintage. Great wine but lacking the minerality and tropical fruit I was really hoping for. Burnt sugar, toast, some oak, lemon and marzipan on the palate. A slight bite on the finish that a few more years will smooth out.
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Awesome orchard fruit with some oak but mild quickly changing with lemon pit and even some salinity. Dense but easy to drink. Kaleidoscopic. I love these wines.
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Excellent chardannay. But with the high Professional scores and pricy cost, I expected a bit more. Great nose, full body with balanced complexity. On the other hand, Aubert chards have very close quality with considerably less cost, though. Overall, still a very elegant and totally enjoyable wine.
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I used my Coravin to taste this 4 times since Sep 2014, and today I popped the cork. This Chard has underwhelmed on each occasion. Given its pedigree and professional ratings I expected a lot more. It's a decent chard to be sure, but it's full of matchstick from nose to finish, strong oak influence that always gets in the way of the fruit. It has nice glycerin, but that smoke just butts right back in. I rated it 90 points to start but went as high as 92. I had my friend try some and he was kind enough not to say anything negative, but he also didn't have anything positive to say. Bottle seems to be in fine shape.
If you want to try a real knockout Marcassin Chard, then try the 2008 Estate bottling. Now THAT is unreal stuff and what the legend is all about!
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Wonderfully expressive chardonnay in the unique Marcassin style. Intense fragrance and flavor of lemon pith - but not the least bitter or overly acidic. Some vanilla in the background. Mouth filling and delicious. Aging beautifully.
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BYO - US wines (NO.2): Further along than could be expected but still juicy and sweet. It does have a lightness to it but it also seems to be slightly oxidized and almost sherry-like. Several people had tasted this vintage before and claimed that the bottle wasn't defective.
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Deep, dark yellow color. Didnt drink this too cool which is key. The flavors were enormous yet perfectly balanced. Somehow this wine was both crisp and mouth coating. One of, if not the best, California Chardonnays out there. Not even close to its fully maturity but in a great spot. This wine will age another 10 yrs.
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Very puzzling. Dark yellow quickly turning to medium - deep gold with some air. Started out quiet but sound. The next phase was slightly oxidized. Fortunately, after another half hour of air in the glass, it woke up. Nicely open on the nose now and big and bold on the palate. Once again powerful, leggy, intense. Now it's like grilled pineapple, backed by excellent acidity and thrust. Better and better with time. Impressive.
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Given all the kudos this wine has received, decide it was time to open 1 and see; as this will be drunk over a couple of nights decided not to decant. Upon opening and after chilling to 55 degrees - pale greenish gold. Intense nose of spice, mineral, marzipan? with an overtone of stones and tropical fruits. On the palate - intense with great structure and acidity with the fruit in the background - exotic flavors of creme brulee, popcorn, orange, lemon, perhaps licorice, but impeccably balanced, dry, and still a bit tight with a touch of wood on the finish. After some time in the glass the color has darkened to a deeper gold, finish has softened, and the viscosity has increased. This clearly needs more time and air but has great potential. Will wait a couple of years (at least) to drink the next one. Expect this will get better tomorrow so current rating is conservative.
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Simply the most extraordinary California Chardonnay I have ever drunk. The cork was tight, very dry and crumbly, taking at least 15 minutes to extract. Not a good sign. The color was mid-gold, like an old Sauternes . Not a good sign. But the story got much better with the first sniff. Waves and waves of just ripe mango, guava and a bit of pineapple. On the palate, things really took off. The tropical fruit was pushed to the background by potent minerals, orange peel, smoke, oak and steel. Unique. Immensely concentrated so the substantial alcohol (14.8) was not tasted at all. Extremely viscous and leggy, again resembling Sauternes - or some of the massive ultra-ripe rieslings of Zind-Humbrecht. But since it's chardonnay, could it be the Coche-Dury Meursault Perrieres of California?
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This is about as good as California Chardonnay gets. Rich, fat, incredibly concentrated with sweet, ripe, juicy citrus fruits, vanilla and rocks in the perfume, the wine has calmed down since it was initially released, ending with a long, fresh, blast of sweet citrus peel and oak in the ostentatious finish.
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Guessed chard. Pure fruit, hint of some orange peel mixed in. Heavier mouthfeel at first. By end of night, this wine was singing and deserved a higher score.
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Decanted 12 hours and drunk room temperature. Magnificent wine with impressive depth of flavor, long finish, and a remarkable freshness for a wine now dating from 2007. Consumed blind, I'm sure that a person would think it was younger than its stated age. I won't give it a 100 score simply because it is certain to get a bit deeper as it evolves in the cellar, but this is clearly at the pinnacle of California chardonnay and makes a strong case for being among the very, very best chards produced anywhere. It's difficult to describe how fully saturated the bouquet and mid-palate are and the the structure is entirely seamless with a beautiful balance between decadence and elegance.
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Nose is very Burgundian, salty rock, minerals, liche some lemon cream and pickle juice. Very well balanced with great acidity, I'd wait a couple years before drinking more.
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Wine Flock - Wines that Ken Loves Intro Retro (Highland Park): Outstanding layered nose with apple, pear, honey, smoke and citrus. Palate is rich and leesy. Echoes the nose with pears, apples and smoke notes. Delicious and rich, but with very good supporting structure.
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Thrilling to taste and effortless to drink, this is the best bottle of California Chardonnay I have ever tasted! The wine is not over oaked, overdone or hot. Everything is in balance and harmony. The velvet, drenched, luxurious texture, feels like every berry was polished one at a time. The perfume is amazingly complex. The wine is incredibly concentrated. Your palate is coated with sweet, ripe, delicious fruit. But there is no sensation of heaviness. The is fresh and refreshing, with the perfect amount of acidity. This is a unique wine for Marcassin, that lovers of Chardonnay (and that includes fans of White Burgundy) need to taste. I'm a long time fan of Marcassin. This is streets ahead of any other vintage of Marcassin yet produced. It's a very, special wine.
I'm not sure how long Marcassin ages. Part of the reason is, the bottles in my cellar are always consumed far too quickly. If I can keep my hands off a bottle or two, I'd like to see how this shows at 15 years of age. This could end up being the reference point wine for Helen Turley and Marcassin. It's also the final wine the young assistant winemaker, Matt Courtney was involved with from harvest to bottling and marketing. Matt Coutney left Marcassin in December 2012.
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Notes of lemon custard, orange rind, wet rocks, honeysuckle, white peach and buttered popcorn burst from the glass of the 2007 Marcassin Vineyard Chardonnay, followed by an amazingly vibrant, seamless, layered impression on the palate, and a nearly-endless finish.
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Just an awesome chardonnay for sure. As others have said one of the best chards we've ever had the opportunity to enjoy. This wine shows the incredible talent of Helen Turley. I just feel honored to have the opportunity to drink such an awesome wine.
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May be one of the best chards ever. Gorgeous lemon oil and vanilla undertones. Great mouthfeel, some lemon oil and awesome body. Heavy weight but light on its feet. Memorable.
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Hugely extracted without being over the top. Consistent notes to last time, citrus, honeysuckle, loads of minerals with just the right amount of oak. A combo of grand cru white burg and american. Doesn't get much better.
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wonderful nose of lemon zest, smoke, karamel, flint and citrus fruit. The palate was intense, mineral, crisp and fat at the same time, vanilla, butterscotch and exotic fruit. This is still young. 96+
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non blind to me. again great color. nose of rich yellow fruits and again butterscotch with toasty oak well blended. palate is full and rich, certainly notched up from the previous bottle. beautiful expression of fruit, floral and oak all wrapped nicely. finish is wonderful tonight. seamless and lengthy.
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Now we're talking. The nose is rich with yellow fruits and some oaky notes lifted by citrusy tones. The palate is again, rich and creamy with some awesome yellow pitted fruits, herbal notes, minerals, even some nits of honey, all pulled together by great acidity and even some salinity. Lots of everything going on and while I could feel the buttery oak it was not intrusive. Great, great chard.
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Jen's Fund Raiser Dinner II (Max's Bistro, Fresno Ca.): While I usually like these after the 10 yr mark...this is probably the best young Marcassin I've had......wonderful balance with the creamy, smoky bright yellow fruits...toasted marshmallow, crushed flint, exotic honey spice....good dose of citrus acidity...all in super balance. Should be even better in 2017!
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If you're seeking an incredibly rich, dense, full bodied Chardonnay that offers fresh citrus, apple, minerality, vanilla and honeysuckle notes, coupled with waves of intense, silky, ripe, lush, pure fruits, look no further. This is packed and stacked with all the right stuff. One of these days I'm going to lay down a bottle or two and see how well these wines age. Sadly, or happily, they are so delicious, I just keep drinking them!
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Possibly one of the best California whites I have ever tasted. Medium gold in the glass. Enormous nose at the open. Gigantic flavors bursting out of the glass. Popped and poured but this got a lot better 30 minutes in. Interesting combination of floral/fruit/butter notes along with minerals and other earthy tones. I am sure this will age gracefully for a very long time but its also quite enjoyable now.
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Popped and aerated for about 2 hours, tasted over 2 days. Medium hue, lemon oil in color. Extremely pronounced aromas initially redolent of smoke and toasted new oak. With time, these notes are accented by flinty minerals, sliced apple, and perhaps a suggestion of tropical fruits. Medium-light body. Although seemingly larger scaled, the overall mouthfeel is actually surprisingly lithe and without a doubt lifted by the moderate-plus acidity. However, and despite notes of apple and tangerine, the flavor profile at this point is dominated by the oak. Make no mistake about it though, this is not the more typical "buttery" or "coconut" sweet style of oak. Lengthy close is accented by an impression of minerals. Just a young wine, almost painfully so. Give this at least 3-5 years before even attempting to drink.
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Nice golden color Nose: green apple, buttery, toasty oak, smells extracted on the nose, touch of pears Palate: Smooth, full body, tastes like it's gone through malolactic Long spicy finish 92+
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CT Wisconsin Offline 2; 10/5/2012-10/6/2012 (Madison, WI): Medium straw color. On the nose, faint alcohol fumes, white flowers, and a faint chemical note. More alcohol on the palate, with more complexity emerging, including considerable oak, stone, white flowers, and a slightly oily quality. Still more alcohol and that odd though faint chemical note through the medium finish. Enjoyable for its complexity, but this doesn't seem overly clean or destined for aging. Tasted blind. Group #3 of 8, my #3 of 8.
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great color. big bright nose of lemon,butterscotch and butter. palate is nice with lemon curd, buttered oak in nice balance. little bit of tropical fruit as well. palate is full but not overwhelming. finish is a bit dry and a tad austere tonight. wonder whats up with that. overall just a little short all around.
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2007 Cal Cult Cabs (SE, Harlan, etc.) and a bunch more: This was very tight at first. I kept my glass for a while and kept swirling but after twenty minutes, it opened up. Light gold in color. The nose has lemons, vanilla, lemon cream pie. It was never a huge nose but kept getting bigger. The palate was firing from the get-go. Great acidity and balance. This is a big wine, no doubt, but delicious. I could see where some might find this too much of a good thing, but I found it within reason and an amazing wine. Really showing complexity at this time and no where near at peak. It kept getting better. The finish is amazing. Outside of d'Yquem, I am not sure I have had a wine that stays on the palate and lingers longer.
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Bright clear yellow. Big nose of toasted oak, citrus and nuts. Potent and concentrated flavours. At first, piercing lemon and lime, juicy and lushous. After about 90 minutes, some oak blew off and there was a crisp minerality. Just as good, day two. Has more life, not peaked yet.
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Popped and poured this bottle with friends. I was expected flawless perfection but was a little disappointed. Wine was still very good but the structure was not there yet. I had in my cellar only about 4 months before consuming so maybe the wine had not quite settled down yet from its travels. I will wait a few years to try the next bottle.
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Absolutely delicious wine from start to finish. Beautiful golden color, slightly viscous with peach blossom on the nose. The palate has complex flavors of stone fruit, citrus, a yeasty bread component , a little touch of smoke, very nice acidity and a spicy finish all with a balancing mineral/stone center. A great wine and worth the price (I hope Helen isn't reading this and gets the idea to raise prices).
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This has some serious upside, but it's very enjoyable right now. I don't see this as a Corton Charl. clone... it's very californian but with better balance and less obvious oak then most. Smokey lemon and loads of salty minerals throughout. Great balance with some serous extraction. This will probably get better and has more upside than the Three Sisters. Good stuff...
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Another Saturday at Knightsbridge - mostly blind (Northbrook, IL): Tasted double blind. Popped and poured. fat, lush aromas and flavors with a dollop of new oak spice. Starts with plenty of peach, picks up brighter, more energetic flavors towards long finish. some heat comes through on finish, but this was served at cellar temperature, which was probably 5 degrees (F) too warm for this wine. Still...thank you, Rocky!
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Consumed over three hours. This is a big, rich Chardonnay, but it is impeccably made and extremely enjoyable. I think this will improve with a couple years of bottle age.
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10/27/2023 - curtoro wrote: flawed
Deceased. Sad. Hopefully our remaining bottles don't suffer the same fate. Also, as noted in several posts, cork crumbled.
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8/30/2023 - rosenst1 wrote: 92 Points
PnP - again cork broke near the bottom but extracted without a problem. Medium light gold which darkens noticeably with air. A complex mix of citrus and tropical fruits on the nose with a hint of marzipan. Lovely texture which is rich but balanced with acidity on the finish. Long finish. Lovely but perhaps beginning to fade at age 16.
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8/20/2023 - brigcampbell wrote:
These types of wines tend to not be in my wheelhouse but I'll make an exception for this one because it is outstanding. Yellow fruit, pear, almond paste, and a mouth feel that just says luxury. I'm a little surprised that a 2007 has held up this well and it looks like it could go much longer.
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8/20/2023 - Frank Murray III wrote:
I've had mixed reactions to Marcassin over the years, with friends all generously sharing various cuvees and vintages. I have found the oak high at times, the density and ripeness not to my liking. But, having this wine last night, again with the generosity of Ramon, I was very impressed with how the wine showed. Yes, some toasty wood is in the aroma, and one thing we did to help was to just keep the temperature cooler, which definitely served the wine well. Golden apple, honeyed lime. Lemon candy too. A long, enduring finish with a wine that I would call balanced and at 15+ years now, holding together well...retasting today from the last few ounces from yesterday. There is more of a heaviness to the wine, a density. In part, I let the wine sit out from the fridge, probably longer than I would like. So, it's warmed up some, and that allows some of that oak and heavier texture to be present. Keep this on the cooler side to help moderate some of the richness, at least if you want to lean the wine's edges.
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11/8/2021 - Minnesota wrote: 88 Points
Past its prime. Cork crumbled. Deep yellow color with note of oxidation. Shame not drank years ago.
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10/30/2021 - bsbrown05 Likes this wine: 98 Points
PnP. Cork broke with Screwpull but Ah-So got it out with ease. Bright color. Lemon curd, very true expression, consistent with other vintages from Marcassin. Outstanding in every way.
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8/23/2021 - Minnesota wrote:
Agree with SDR and J@$son, past its prime. From crumbling cork to deep yellow color did not hold much promise -- and delivered exactly that. Drinkable but a shame in no way the wine I recall sipping years ago.
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6/26/2021 - sdr Does not like this wine:
Possibly something went wrong with this bottle since it tasted very old. Not madeirized or oxidized, no sherry but way too much butterscotch and too little acidity. No rating.
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5/15/2021 - dbkitc wrote: 95 Points
Interesting as the cork broke in half similar to some other CellarTracker’s. That said, the wine was just fine and delicious. Golden color that has incredible color saturation. Citrus, honey and green apple nose. Just a touch of oak. Rich and vibrant palate that is so deep and extracted. A great bottle that further cements my opinion that this is the top new world Chardonnay out there. Great. (96)
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5/22/2020 - j@$0n p€++y wrote:
Dark golden color. Damn. No nose. Not oxed but past its prime! Viscous in texture with simple lemon undertones and a spicy caramel nutty finish. Short finish. Little flabby on the attack, lacks acid. Yeah, this is falling apart. Past its prime. Bummer.
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4/11/2020 - rosenst1 wrote: 95 Points
In the spirit of "drink the good stuff" decided to open one of these with grilled scallops. Cork broke in half but got it out without difficulty. Medium gold which darkens noticeably with air as seen previously with other bottles of this wine. Citrus rather than tropical fruit notes on the nose; on the palate this has very good body but balanced with nice acidity on the finish. Improves with air for 30 minutes or so then might be beginning to fade. Lovely; not as over the top as the 08 but a better food wine.
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12/15/2019 - rustyRudy wrote: flawed
Although only accessed via Coravin it became more oxidized.
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11/30/2019 - slywka7 Likes this wine: 98 Points
Aromas of papaya, mango, hazelnut, orange marmalade and touch of vanilla. Flavors of mango, papaya, pineapple, butterscotch and lemon pie. Ends with a awesome finish of 50+ seconds with tropical fruit and vanilla notes. This is drinking awesome and showing not signs of fading. Incredible Chardonnay.
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11/29/2019 - rustyRudy Likes this wine: 97 Points
Dark golden color. Very mature with multiple layers of apple, citrus, oak, and a hint of maple and caramel.
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11/29/2019 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine: 94 Points
A deep sickly gold color. Oak oak and more oak. This is still really good, but I’ve liked some other Marcassin chards I’ve had better.
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6/8/2019 - sdr Likes this wine: 94 Points
This is impressively good at age twelve. The sometimes excessive oak and tropical fruit of young Marcassin has been tamed by time. It’s still reasonably lively yet composed and even elegant in California Chardonnay terms. There’s enough pineapple in there to remind me we are definitely in the USA but not so much I think I am drinking a piña colada. Memorable wine.
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4/5/2019 - Escalus wrote: 90 Points
Burnt sugar and caramel. Might have been different than intended/ideal.
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1/11/2019 - patwjr wrote: 95 Points
Pnp. Delicious, though drink now. I don't see this getting better.
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1/1/2019 - pjhr Likes this wine: 96 Points
Another world-class Marcassin chard! Aging well!
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10/14/2018 - herzog330 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Started off odd with menthol and wintergreen notes, but sang after decanting for a couple of hours. Give this one some time. 2 of 2 bottles.
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10/14/2018 - herzog330 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Started off odd with menthol and wintergreen notes, but sang after decanting for a couple of hours. Give this one some time.
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9/3/2018 - patwjr wrote: 94 Points
Pnp, short decant, drank over 1 hour. Started out smooth & delicious fruit, but then after 30-45 min got a funky, petrol aroma. I think it needed a longer decant and more time to drink it. Everyone felt this has lots of time to age and was in a weird state right now.
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7/29/2018 - Minnesota wrote: 97 Points
Agree with comments as the wine aerated over time flavor profile intensified. Decanted two hours prior to first glass, served few degrees warmer than usual.
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6/4/2018 - cnichelson wrote: 99 Points
Had alongside an ‘06 Montrachet. Which was great. This was significantly more open, giving, and expressive with butterscotch, glycerine, lemon, orange peel, peach, crushed rocks and deliciousness. Wish I had a case of these. I see no signs of it slowing down or going anywhere.
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3/26/2018 - buckeye76 Likes this wine: 98 Points
Wow, not often an eleven year old Sonoma Chardonnay decanted for two hours just keeps getting better with dinner. Actually, I little tight upon opening, but became a beautiful, rich, complex Chardonnay with citrus, peaches, butterscotch, minerals, and rocks. Full bodied wine with a very long finish, and great acidity. This wine still had plenty of time in it. Impressive!
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12/10/2017 - cadamson Likes this wine: 93 Points
Still perhaps just a bit young, this wine had very good acidity balancing against a somewhat thick honey/paraffin texture, with notes of citrus and butterscotch. Better as it sits in the glass a while, and best yet slightly on the warm side. Still some upside, I would probably decant this for an hour if I were to open one in the next year or two.
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12/3/2017 - rustyRudy Likes this wine: 98 Points
Golden yellow. Not a huge nose but what was there was vanilla, apple and apricot. I agree with the winery that this is at its best at cellar temperature or warmer after a decant. Beautiful balance of fruit, oak, acidity and mature savory flavors. Drinking wonderfully now. Nothing out of place or over done. Wow!
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12/1/2017 - galewskj wrote: 89 Points
Going Big at Dan's (Dan's House): Drank a good-sized glass over about 1.5 hours, waiting for the oak to subside. Matchstick, sulphur, and oak, and oak, and oak, and OAK. A 2004 of this drank this year was not nearly as oaky. This has surpassed my threshold. It is still a well-made wine.
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11/29/2017 - chablis28 wrote: 88 Points
Had this wine a few times now and its too oaky, laden with Alc and generally out of balance and weighty. Others love it I don't.
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9/2/2017 - sdr Likes this wine: 93 Points
A different expression of this wine due to its increased depth and transformation from simple pineapple juice as the dominant flavor to grilled pineapple, introducing an intriguing smokier note. Sound acids, oak is obviously there but integrated. Not an exemplar of complexity, the charm is in the stylish pineapple fruit.
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8/26/2017 - Kemo Sabe Likes this wine: 94 Points
Opened day 1 had one glass; bottle open an hour. Cork back in and onto day 2. Medium dark yellow color. Bright lemon and yellow fruits. Nutty and leesy. This could easily be mistaken for a Meursault. Fresh and clean yet rich and opulent. Much more elegant than the vast majority of California Chards. Nice effort.
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6/4/2017 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 98 Points
Incredible dinner wines with friends (Screagle, Krug, Yquem, Bryant, +++) (Our home): Funny, this is the second time I have had this wine and both times, part of a dinner with Screaming Eagle. Loved it then (5 years ago) and love it now. The cork crumbled on opening and it seemed the bottom of the cork was stuck to the glass. I fished out as much cork as I could and we went with it. Medium golden in color. The nose is great with lemon chiffon pie, a very slight note of oxidation and just a hint of vanilla. On the palate, this is deep and complex. Layers of flavors and a slight under layer of earthiness. Showing just a hint of maturity, this wine will continue to develop. Lemon creme, lemons with great acidity. George noted that it didn't seem as sweet/ripe as it did in its youth (a good thing). Long, long finish. Great with food.
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2/24/2017 - dcwino wrote: 93 Points
The Second Avery Family Cellar Wine Dinner - Really old wines (The Grill Room at the Rosewood DC): Deeply toned nose displaying sweet yellow fruit, peach, mango, caramel, a hint of lanoline and jalapeno and mineral. Excellent concentration, dense yellow fruit driven palate impression, bright acidity, medium mineral and a medium to long spicy finish with a hint of heat at the end. It is riper and deeper than the 10.
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2/4/2017 - Quiet Lion Likes this wine: 92 Points
Tasty Chardonnay. My white wine palate is not too experienced and I'm afraid what makes this bottle worth $300 is lost on me. But thanks Steve!
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1/26/2017 - rosenst1 wrote: 93 Points
PnP. Medium greenish gold. No sign of oxidation. Subtle nose (for Marcassin) of a combination of ripe fruits (peach, pear) and marzipan and vanilla cream. On the palate this clearly has higher acidity and less ripeness/intensity than the 2008, but in some ways is a better balanced wine. Went quite well with grilled sea scallops. Nice wine that perhaps doesn't reach the heights of some other vintages, but is more versatile at table. This seems to be at maturity but not in danger of cracking up.
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11/22/2016 - jlgnml Likes this wine: 92 Points
A lot of hype about the wine, good minerality, citrus, nice palate feel, long finish. Drink up.
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11/15/2016 - matthewearl Likes this wine: 97 Points
This is my first Marcassin Chardonnay, so I can't comment on how it's aged or compared to other vintages. But... WOW. The color is a gorgeous golden honey. The nose is beautiful toasted marshmallow. Lemon, sour orange, barnyard hay, honey, vanilla. The finish lasts for minutes. Its a bit acidic, and its a big wine - I think this would be even better in a year or two. Definitely getting some more of this vintage!
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11/5/2016 - Vinophiliac559 wrote: 92 Points
A Matter of Taste (Meritage Resort & Spa Napa, CA): 90-92: Gaining some age, not as much fruit coming through, nice rounded edges, creamy, very rich and viscous on the palate. This didn't show as well as I had expected. Could have been outshone by other bottles of the night, either way QpR is tough for me to justify on this wine.
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10/18/2016 - kstoddard wrote: flawed
Cooked
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10/15/2016 - sdr Likes this wine: 92 Points
Not quite as dazzling this time yet still very impressive due to its intense sweet pineapple core of fruit and verve. A bit less fragrant than some bottles of this wine. Clearly California in style and still one of the best, though I wonder for the first time if a more recent vintage would be even more impressive.
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8/24/2016 - peternelson wrote: 93 Points
Lost at Sea: Rich honied note, vanilla, oak at first whiff, but blew off to reveal a nicely aged wine with nectarine, peach cobbler, and slight peach pit notes, super slick, extremely well-balanced on the palate, great concentration but well-integrated at this point and seems like it may have went on a diet to shed it's dense fat! It's almost elegant! (compared to the '09 Marcassin). It really went well with the rich salmon and of all things, fantastic with the dense octopus with a strong mole sauce. It stood up to it where the Burgs would have drowned. Big Cali Chard ain't so bad after all! However, the '09 was over the top and too much. Not sure if it will mellow out and lose some weight and oak over the next few years.
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6/18/2016 - sdr Likes this wine: 94 Points
For a long time this '07 Marcassin has been my favorite California Chardonnay and I don't see any reason to change my opinion now. The only question was how well it would age and the answer is "quite well." Perhaps it has lost just a bit of youthful exuberance but there's still plenty of ripe bold fruit in the tank yet admirable restraint. Both K and Brian thought it was Burgundian in style, while I demurred. The fruit is more orange zest than pineapple and the acidity is a touch low. It's fragrant, mouth filling and immediately delicious.
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6/15/2016 - Amerique wrote: 97 Points
Gorgeous, rich, citrus fruit with flinty, smokey, oaky, and honey flavors, excellent structure, terrific viscosity, long finish, this is great, great wine, Chablis-like
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4/16/2016 - Amerique wrote: 97 Points
Rich, delicious, full-bodied carmelized citrus fruit, excellent structure, long finish, gorgeous wine
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3/25/2016 - pjhr Likes this wine: 97 Points
Wonderful fruit and floral notes on the nose and palate with silky smooth texture and oaky notes culminating in a long evolving finish. Went beautifully with Whitefish à la Meunière.
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3/14/2016 - gondrik Likes this wine: 95 Points
Really delicious but not the best vintage of this classic.
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12/24/2015 - pjhr Likes this wine: 97 Points
Another world-class Marcassin chard! Went beautifully with Whitefish à la Meunière.
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11/28/2015 - Uglypinga Likes this wine:
A little petrol, a lot of yellow fruits and vanilla on the nose. The palate is deep and smooth with some lime pit and a lot of chard traits with some oak weaving in and out. Constantly changing. Really good.
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11/21/2015 - pjhr Likes this wine: 97 Points
Absolutely world-class chard! Went perfectly with King Crab.
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10/29/2015 - ghanbai Likes this wine: 93 Points
Aubert offers much better value!
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10/16/2015 - Uglypinga Likes this wine:
This is a sexy Chardonnay. Nuts, baking spices and some herbs on the nose. The palate is pretty thick but full of yellow orchard fruit, some citrus and more of that nutty nose. I really like it.
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8/7/2015 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine: 99 Points
Consistent notes, 2nd tasting, just really singing tonight.
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8/5/2015 - rustyRudy Likes this wine: 97 Points
Pretty yellow. Mineral driven nose with multiple layers of fruit, oak is well integrated. Peach, lemon, butterscotch, with elegance but a super long finish. This was a Coravin opened tasting. Will revisit and give it more air time soon
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8/5/2015 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine: 98 Points
Love it. Wonderful wine. Nutmeg, citrus/orange, light butter, great zesty acid. Goes on forever. Chard at its best.
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7/25/2015 - Jeff Leve wrote: 92 Points
Bought on release and stored in a cold cellar, the wine was served double blind to an experienced tasting group. The wine seemed like it was much older, due to its golden color. Some of the freshness seems to have dropped, as I have tasted the wine often since release. One could still find ripe citrus notes, but clearly, this is on a rapid pace of maturity and should not be aged for years from this point forward.
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5/10/2015 - Vinophiliac559 wrote: 94 Points
Too much oak for me, but great wine nonetheless
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3/29/2015 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 94 Points
Much less fruit forward than the Three Sisters from this same vintage. Great wine but lacking the minerality and tropical fruit I was really hoping for. Burnt sugar, toast, some oak, lemon and marzipan on the palate. A slight bite on the finish that a few more years will smooth out.
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3/14/2015 - Uglypinga Likes this wine:
Awesome orchard fruit with some oak but mild quickly changing with lemon pit and even some salinity. Dense but easy to drink. Kaleidoscopic. I love these wines.
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2/14/2015 - wcchang Likes this wine: 96 Points
Excellent chardannay. But with the high Professional scores and pricy cost, I expected a bit more. Great nose, full body with balanced complexity. On the other hand, Aubert chards have very close quality with considerably less cost, though. Overall, still a very elegant and totally enjoyable wine.
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1/30/2015 - tp096255 Likes this wine: 92 Points
I used my Coravin to taste this 4 times since Sep 2014, and today I popped the cork. This Chard has underwhelmed on each occasion. Given its pedigree and professional ratings I expected a lot more. It's a decent chard to be sure, but it's full of matchstick from nose to finish, strong oak influence that always gets in the way of the fruit. It has nice glycerin, but that smoke just butts right back in. I rated it 90 points to start but went as high as 92. I had my friend try some and he was kind enough not to say anything negative, but he also didn't have anything positive to say. Bottle seems to be in fine shape.
If you want to try a real knockout Marcassin Chard, then try the 2008 Estate bottling. Now THAT is unreal stuff and what the legend is all about!
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1/10/2015 - sdr Likes this wine: 94 Points
Wonderfully expressive chardonnay in the unique Marcassin style. Intense fragrance and flavor of lemon pith - but not the least bitter or overly acidic. Some vanilla in the background. Mouth filling and delicious. Aging beautifully.
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12/21/2014 - shadow wrote: 98 Points
Nose was smoked salmon, or is that the food.
Palate feel is pure M, perfect balance, love the girl in white.
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11/28/2014 - canan wrote: 95 Points
BYO - US wines (NO.2): Further along than could be expected but still juicy and sweet.
It does have a lightness to it but it also seems to be slightly oxidized and almost sherry-like.
Several people had tasted this vintage before and claimed that the bottle wasn't defective.
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7/5/2014 - Kemo Sabe Likes this wine: 97 Points
Deep, dark yellow color. Didnt drink this too cool which is key. The flavors were enormous yet perfectly balanced. Somehow this wine was both crisp and mouth coating. One of, if not the best, California Chardonnays out there. Not even close to its fully maturity but in a great spot. This wine will age another 10 yrs.
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6/28/2014 - arniec Likes this wine: 95 Points
Prototypical Macassin. Lush, fruit forward, integrated with that smokey undertone.
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5/30/2014 - sdr wrote: 93 Points
Very puzzling. Dark yellow quickly turning to medium - deep gold with some air. Started out quiet but sound. The next phase was slightly oxidized. Fortunately, after another half hour of air in the glass, it woke up. Nicely open on the nose now and big and bold on the palate. Once again powerful, leggy, intense. Now it's like grilled pineapple, backed by excellent acidity and thrust. Better and better with time. Impressive.
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5/25/2014 - sdr wrote: flawed
Corked. Drat. But it seemed OK when I opened at home.
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5/25/2014 - rosenst1 wrote: 94 Points
Given all the kudos this wine has received, decide it was time to open 1 and see; as this will be drunk over a couple of nights decided not to decant. Upon opening and after chilling to 55 degrees - pale greenish gold. Intense nose of spice, mineral, marzipan? with an overtone of stones and tropical fruits. On the palate - intense with great structure and acidity with the fruit in the background - exotic flavors of creme brulee, popcorn, orange, lemon, perhaps licorice, but impeccably balanced, dry, and still a bit tight with a touch of wood on the finish. After some time in the glass the color has darkened to a deeper gold, finish has softened, and the viscosity has increased. This clearly needs more time and air but has great potential. Will wait a couple of years (at least) to drink the next one. Expect this will get better tomorrow so current rating is conservative.
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4/6/2014 - sdr wrote: 98 Points
Simply the most extraordinary California Chardonnay I have ever drunk. The cork was tight, very dry and crumbly, taking at least 15 minutes to extract. Not a good sign. The color was mid-gold, like an old Sauternes . Not a good sign. But the story got much better with the first sniff. Waves and waves of just ripe mango, guava and a bit of pineapple. On the palate, things really took off. The tropical fruit was pushed to the background by potent minerals, orange peel, smoke, oak and steel. Unique. Immensely concentrated so the substantial alcohol (14.8) was not tasted at all. Extremely viscous and leggy, again resembling Sauternes - or some of the massive ultra-ripe rieslings of Zind-Humbrecht. But since it's chardonnay, could it be the Coche-Dury Meursault Perrieres of California?
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4/5/2014 - CO_Roots13 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Toast and popcorn on the nose. A bit of vanilla a minerality on the palette. MASSIVE chard. 9-18-9-9
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3/8/2014 - Jeff Leve wrote: 98 Points
This is about as good as California Chardonnay gets. Rich, fat, incredibly concentrated with sweet, ripe, juicy citrus fruits, vanilla and rocks in the perfume, the wine has calmed down since it was initially released, ending with a long, fresh, blast of sweet citrus peel and oak in the ostentatious finish.
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3/8/2014 - rdsboca Likes this wine: 94 Points
Guessed chard. Pure fruit, hint of some orange peel mixed in. Heavier mouthfeel at first. By end of night, this wine was singing and deserved a higher score.
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2/28/2014 - edwilley3 Likes this wine: 99 Points
Decanted 12 hours and drunk room temperature. Magnificent wine with impressive depth of flavor, long finish, and a remarkable freshness for a wine now dating from 2007. Consumed blind, I'm sure that a person would think it was younger than its stated age. I won't give it a 100 score simply because it is certain to get a bit deeper as it evolves in the cellar, but this is clearly at the pinnacle of California chardonnay and makes a strong case for being among the very, very best chards produced anywhere. It's difficult to describe how fully saturated the bouquet and mid-palate are and the the structure is entirely seamless with a beautiful balance between decadence and elegance.
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1/15/2014 - dlcass Likes this wine: 97 Points
Big, Corton charlemagne, young, oak, full mouth feel. long finish, beautiful wine. Needs long decant.
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12/26/2013 - pakabear Likes this wine: 95 Points
Nose is very Burgundian, salty rock, minerals, liche some lemon cream and pickle juice. Very well balanced with great acidity, I'd wait a couple years before drinking more.
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12/3/2013 - Nanda wrote: 96 Points
Wine Flock - Wines that Ken Loves Intro Retro (Highland Park): Outstanding layered nose with apple, pear, honey, smoke and citrus. Palate is rich and leesy. Echoes the nose with pears, apples and smoke notes. Delicious and rich, but with very good supporting structure.
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12/3/2013 - Burgundy Al wrote: 94 Points
Chicago Wine Flock..."Wines that Ken Loves" (Abigail's American Bistro - Highland Park IL): Tasted double blind. Ripe fruit aromas with a mint hint. Very charming flavors, with lots of ripe fruit and very good structural elements in support. 3rd of 4th time I've had this wine and I enjoy it immensely.
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11/24/2013 - Jeff Leve wrote: 100 Points
Thrilling to taste and effortless to drink, this is the best bottle of California Chardonnay I have ever tasted! The wine is not over oaked, overdone or hot. Everything is in balance and harmony. The velvet, drenched, luxurious texture, feels like every berry was polished one at a time. The perfume is amazingly complex. The wine is incredibly concentrated. Your palate is coated with sweet, ripe, delicious fruit. But there is no sensation of heaviness. The is fresh and refreshing, with the perfect amount of acidity. This is a unique wine for Marcassin, that lovers of Chardonnay (and that includes fans of White Burgundy) need to taste. I'm a long time fan of Marcassin. This is streets ahead of any other vintage of Marcassin yet produced. It's a very, special wine.
I'm not sure how long Marcassin ages. Part of the reason is, the bottles in my cellar are always consumed far too quickly. If I can keep my hands off a bottle or two, I'd like to see how this shows at 15 years of age. This could end up being the reference point wine for Helen Turley and Marcassin. It's also the final wine the young assistant winemaker, Matt Courtney was involved with from harvest to bottling and marketing. Matt Coutney left Marcassin in December 2012.
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11/17/2013 - Cashious wrote: 96 Points
Sublime. Exploding with complexity, yet perfectly balanced.
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9/21/2013 - CO_Roots13 wrote: 94 Points
Very good! Toasted bread, popcorn and butter on the nose with an unctuous spine. Acidity to carry it.
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9/19/2013 - Burgundy Al wrote: 93 Points
Some Wine Tasted at the Zachys Auction; 9/19/2013-9/20/2013 (Smith & Wollensky - New York NY): Tasting. Extremely lush with peach, ripe apple and lots of spice. Intense concentration. Very fat flavors and textures, almost unctuous, but with the structure to stand up. Faint heat on finish. Very nice.
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6/8/2013 - pakabear Likes this wine: 95 Points
Consistent to others, but more vegetal. Really amazing Chardonnay, great American/French combo.
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5/3/2013 - ews3 wrote:
Sine Qua Non Dinner, volume II (Maloney & Porcelli, NYC): no note - i remember the bottle being a bit underwhelming
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4/23/2013 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Wonderful, elegant, needs time to integrate
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4/20/2013 - William Kelley Likes this wine:
Notes of lemon custard, orange rind, wet rocks, honeysuckle, white peach and buttered popcorn burst from the glass of the 2007 Marcassin Vineyard Chardonnay, followed by an amazingly vibrant, seamless, layered impression on the palate, and a nearly-endless finish.
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4/4/2013 - Screameagle Likes this wine: 98 Points
Just an awesome chardonnay for sure. As others have said one of the best chards we've ever had the opportunity to enjoy. This wine shows the incredible talent of Helen Turley. I just feel honored to have the opportunity to drink such an awesome wine.
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3/29/2013 - rdsboca wrote: 97 Points
May be one of the best chards ever. Gorgeous lemon oil and vanilla undertones. Great mouthfeel, some lemon oil and awesome body. Heavy weight but light on its feet. Memorable.
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3/22/2013 - pakabear Likes this wine: 96 Points
Hugely extracted without being over the top. Consistent notes to last time, citrus, honeysuckle, loads of minerals with just the right amount of oak. A combo of grand cru white burg and american. Doesn't get much better.
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3/2/2013 - MayValley wrote: 96 Points
wonderful nose of lemon zest, smoke, karamel, flint and citrus fruit.
The palate was intense, mineral, crisp and fat at the same time, vanilla, butterscotch and exotic fruit. This is still young. 96+
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1/10/2013 - jc-mmb Likes this wine: 96 Points
non blind to me. again great color. nose of rich yellow fruits and again butterscotch with toasty oak well blended. palate is full and rich, certainly notched up from the previous bottle. beautiful expression of fruit, floral and oak all wrapped nicely. finish is wonderful tonight. seamless and lengthy.
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1/1/2013 - Uglypinga Likes this wine:
Now we're talking. The nose is rich with yellow fruits and some oaky notes lifted by citrusy tones. The palate is again, rich and creamy with some awesome yellow pitted fruits, herbal notes, minerals, even some nits of honey, all pulled together by great acidity and even some salinity. Lots of everything going on and while I could feel the buttery oak it was not intrusive. Great, great chard.
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1/1/2013 - erikm9 wrote: 99 Points
As good as Chardonnay can get!! Beautiful minerality better than my previous favorite 07 judge
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11/15/2012 - Mrbuzz wrote: 95 Points
Jen's Fund Raiser Dinner II (Max's Bistro, Fresno Ca.): While I usually like these after the 10 yr mark...this is probably the best young Marcassin I've had......wonderful balance with the creamy, smoky bright yellow fruits...toasted marshmallow, crushed flint, exotic honey spice....good dose of citrus acidity...all in super balance. Should be even better in 2017!
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10/27/2012 - Jeff Leve wrote: 98 Points
If you're seeking an incredibly rich, dense, full bodied Chardonnay that offers fresh citrus, apple, minerality, vanilla and honeysuckle notes, coupled with waves of intense, silky, ripe, lush, pure fruits, look no further. This is packed and stacked with all the right stuff. One of these days I'm going to lay down a bottle or two and see how well these wines age. Sadly, or happily, they are so delicious, I just keep drinking them!
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10/20/2012 - Kemo Sabe wrote: 96 Points
Possibly one of the best California whites I have ever tasted. Medium gold in the glass. Enormous nose at the open. Gigantic flavors bursting out of the glass. Popped and poured but this got a lot better 30 minutes in. Interesting combination of floral/fruit/butter notes along with minerals and other earthy tones. I am sure this will age gracefully for a very long time but its also quite enjoyable now.
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10/15/2012 - *Vine* wrote:
Popped and aerated for about 2 hours, tasted over 2 days. Medium hue, lemon oil in color. Extremely pronounced aromas initially redolent of smoke and toasted new oak. With time, these notes are accented by flinty minerals, sliced apple, and perhaps a suggestion of tropical fruits. Medium-light body. Although seemingly larger scaled, the overall mouthfeel is actually surprisingly lithe and without a doubt lifted by the moderate-plus acidity. However, and despite notes of apple and tangerine, the flavor profile at this point is dominated by the oak. Make no mistake about it though, this is not the more typical "buttery" or "coconut" sweet style of oak. Lengthy close is accented by an impression of minerals.
Just a young wine, almost painfully so. Give this at least 3-5 years before even attempting to drink.
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10/8/2012 - cadams wrote: 92 Points
Nice golden color
Nose: green apple, buttery, toasty oak, smells extracted on the nose, touch of pears
Palate: Smooth, full body, tastes like it's gone through malolactic
Long spicy finish
92+
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10/6/2012 - IWineAlot wrote: 89 Points
CT Offline WI Take 2: Judgement of Madison(Paris) Tasting & BYOB Dinner (Madison, WI): Big oaky nose with butter and lemon zest.
Big bold chard with buttered popcorn and a charred barrel notes.
Heat galore on the palate. Flabby wine.
SS 89pts.
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10/6/2012 - petitblanc wrote: 90 Points
CT Wisconsin Offline 2; 10/5/2012-10/6/2012 (Madison, WI): Medium straw color. On the nose, faint alcohol fumes, white flowers, and a faint chemical note. More alcohol on the palate, with more complexity emerging, including considerable oak, stone, white flowers, and a slightly oily quality. Still more alcohol and that odd though faint chemical note through the medium finish. Enjoyable for its complexity, but this doesn't seem overly clean or destined for aging. Tasted blind. Group #3 of 8, my #3 of 8.
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9/30/2012 - jc-mmb wrote: 92 Points
great color. big bright nose of lemon,butterscotch and butter. palate is nice with lemon curd, buttered oak in nice balance. little bit of tropical fruit as well. palate is full but not overwhelming. finish is a bit dry and a tad austere tonight. wonder whats up with that. overall just a little short all around.
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9/30/2012 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 98 Points
2007 Cal Cult Cabs (SE, Harlan, etc.) and a bunch more: This was very tight at first. I kept my glass for a while and kept swirling but after twenty minutes, it opened up. Light gold in color. The nose has lemons, vanilla, lemon cream pie. It was never a huge nose but kept getting bigger. The palate was firing from the get-go. Great acidity and balance. This is a big wine, no doubt, but delicious. I could see where some might find this too much of a good thing, but I found it within reason and an amazing wine. Really showing complexity at this time and no where near at peak. It kept getting better. The finish is amazing. Outside of d'Yquem, I am not sure I have had a wine that stays on the palate and lingers longer.
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9/22/2012 - Cphofmann wrote: 94 Points
Bright clear yellow. Big nose of toasted oak, citrus and nuts. Potent and concentrated flavours. At first, piercing lemon and lime, juicy and lushous. After about 90 minutes, some oak blew off and there was a crisp minerality. Just as good, day two. Has more life, not peaked yet.
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8/1/2012 - Cycle Man wrote: 94 Points
Popped and poured this bottle with friends. I was expected flawless perfection but was a little disappointed. Wine was still very good but the structure was not there yet. I had in my cellar only about 4 months before consuming so maybe the wine had not quite settled down yet from its travels. I will wait a few years to try the next bottle.
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6/22/2012 - D.Callahan Likes this wine: 96 Points
Absolutely delicious wine from start to finish. Beautiful golden color, slightly viscous with peach blossom on the nose. The palate has complex flavors of stone fruit, citrus, a yeasty bread component , a little touch of smoke, very nice acidity and a spicy finish all with a balancing mineral/stone center. A great wine and worth the price (I hope Helen isn't reading this and gets the idea to raise prices).
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6/10/2012 - dcwino wrote: 94 Points
Chateau Margaux vertical dinner with great whites and 2007 Rayas (Ruth Chris Tysons Corner, VA): A hint of light caramel, flint, papaya and mango but not too tropical. Big scale wine with excellent concentration and acidity. Very fresh and enjoyable.
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5/20/2012 - pakabear wrote: 96 Points
This has some serious upside, but it's very enjoyable right now. I don't see this as a Corton Charl. clone... it's very californian but with better balance and less obvious oak then most. Smokey lemon and loads of salty minerals throughout. Great balance with some serous extraction. This will probably get better and has more upside than the Three Sisters. Good stuff...
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5/19/2012 - Burgundy Al wrote: 93 Points
Another Saturday at Knightsbridge - mostly blind (Northbrook, IL): Tasted double blind. Popped and poured. fat, lush aromas and flavors with a dollop of new oak spice. Starts with plenty of peach, picks up brighter, more energetic flavors towards long finish. some heat comes through on finish, but this was served at cellar temperature, which was probably 5 degrees (F) too warm for this wine. Still...thank you, Rocky!
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5/13/2012 - B Paul wrote: 94 Points
Consumed over three hours. This is a big, rich Chardonnay, but it is impeccably made and extremely enjoyable. I think this will improve with a couple years of bottle age.
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