Probably would never have guessed this as Chardonnay blind - it seems a bit sweet and oxidized with a lot of bruised apple and almond. Reminds me of chenin in a way. I’m hoping this was not a representative bottle.
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Very deep yellow and gold in color. This wine gets 100 points for texture and mouthfeel alone. It's very smooth on the tongue and goes down with full body and balance with a finish that is unending. It is more viscous than dry chardonnay normally is.
Nose of almonds, light honeycomb and baking spices. Flavors of almond biscotti (there's that baking spice again), sweet stone fruit (but it's definitely dry) and ripe honeydew melon. Flavors I DONT GET are apple and minerals/stone (which Ive gotten in their other vintages...not a complaint, just observation)
But the best part is that the smells and flavors are in this rich and balanced mouthfeel and long, smooth finish that makes this old wine such a joy to drink.
The next day, it picked up apple flavors and a shorter finish, but still very good, so I say drink now (mid 2023) but in 2 years will certainly become sweeter and even more viscous.
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Yellow color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of caramel, brown spice and mixed yellow fruits. Earthy flavors of yellow pears, yellow apples and kumquats. Medium acidity, medium to full bodied. Drink or hold.
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Cheese rind, butter and some lees and oxidation Myer lemon full on the palate and still decent acidity… More muted than I remember could be in a quiet period
A floral, saline and light lemon nose. It is great to see a CA chardonnay of this quality that has aged well. A few years to go too. Acid has softened from a few years ago; the other elements have nicely resolved. Tastes of almonds, pears, minerals, flowers with a drop of sweetness (sort of a hint of honey/butterscotch). A long, lingering finish of almonds, citrus, and orange peel. An excellent and unique CA wine experience.
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Time has burnished this to a dark yellow, with great legs. More than lives up to its name with mineral- and stone-laced fruit on the nose, with a hint of beeswax. Very much on the lean side in the mouth, with bracing acidity but more than sufficient fruit to provide balance. Long, crystalline fruit impression. Still has years of life ahead. Less giving than some other vintages I have had, but still pretty good. 5-12-15-8: 90/100.
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Wonderful wine. Nothing like most CA Chardonnay. With 11 years from the vintage this is really developing nicely. Orange peel, white flowers, brioche, faint almond skin but lovely freshness and verve. Excellent. I find this has more in common with Jura Chardonnay than California so just expect something entirely different.
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This was another slightly oxidized bottle but it never really opened up like some previous bottles. The color is medium dark golden yellow and the nose and palate had smokey, burnt sugar and slightly nutty elements along with grilled white peach and a honeyed finish. While enjoyable this was marred by the oxidation and never quite blossomed with the layers of fruit in previous bottles over the 3 hours we tasted it.
A fine Chardonnay, medium bodied with ample fruit, in balance and harmony. Some gentle notes of aging, but in general it tastes quite fresh and youthful, if lacking complexity and intellectual engagement. Drink now through 2025, no rush.
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It had been years since my last bottle of Stony Hill anything, and this was a lovely reintroduction. I never had this vintage in its youth, so can't speak to its overall evolution, but there's no risk of downside from what I can tell. Stone fruit, as well as a pineapple essence combine with saline and light honeysuckle notes on the nose, and the fruit directly translates to the palate. There is still very fresh acidity, and only a hint of maturity on the palate.
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Napa Valley & Chalk Hill AVA winery visits - 5/30 & 5/31, 2018: Aromas of melted stone, white pepper, stone fruit and spices. Showing butterscotch and stone fruit on the attack, secondary minerality and spices. Rich texture and full depth throughout. Big finish. Excellent.
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"Cult Cali" Night at Garth's Apartment in Philly (Philadelphia, PA, USA): This bottle seemed a bit different than the previous ones in that it was slightly oxidized such that it did exhibit different characteristics than before and may perhaps give a foreshadowing of the eventual aged condition of the wine some more years down the line. This was decanted and given 90 minutes to breathe in the cellar then re-bottled for taking to our "Cult Cali" night at Garth's in Philadelphia, about a 2 hour drive away. Then tasted by the group prior to and during the first course with dinner. The color is more light to medium gold than bright yellow. It has very high acidity and distinctive grilled apricot, caramel and minerals on both the nose and palate. The finish is long and honeyed suggesting a touch of residual sugar.
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A beautiful bottle of wine. Lemon colors moving into light gold hues. Aromas of buttermilk and chantilly cream with d'Anjou and Bartlett pears and hints of marzipan. The usual welcome streak of acidity they're known for which balances out the heavier flavors from the wine's age. It has wonderful texture and weight with flavors of apricots, pears, white peach tart, fresh cream and flecks of honey. A slate-style minerality appears on the back which helps for a cleaner finish to shore up the weightier elements. It lingers nicely. Food friendly, but also delicious and complex on its own.
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An awesome chardonnay! a beautiful yellow color with a pronounced nose of green fruits and candied pineapple. The taste was similar in profile with a nice finish. Score 93
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Very fresh and rich at 10 years old. The texture and viscosity really stand out here, you would think its a marsanne with some picpoule spice tasting it blind. Light almond and honey notes with light mineral and hibiscus on the palate but the texture and mouthfeel are quite rich and round. Excellent long finish stays meaningful after each sip. It doesn't NEED any more age but can improve over 1-2 years more then possibly longer. Quite a shower at 10 years old now.
Pretty good, Chablis-like in style. Good grip and very food friendly. but ultimately lacking grip and complexity. Pretty broad, lovely mouthfeel, but I'd expect better at the price point.
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Zesty aromas of lemon rind, fresh sourdough bread, turmeric. Intense clean fruit on the palate with excellent acid support and a fine grip at the back. Beautifully balanced and integrated.
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Superb! Different and better than a bottle just a few weeks ago though both came from the same source. Better fruit, more delineation, and no diesel: IOW, pristeen condition, dazzling. Much more life ahead.
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Stony Hill Vineyard Tasting (Stony Hill Vineyard St Helena, CA): 2008 Stony Hill Chardonnay No comparison against the 2014. The 2008 dominated this comparison. It is amazing what age does for this wine! The color was a beautiful gold color with aromas of green apples, honey, and tropical fruits. The profile on the palate was just awesome. Nice weight and acidity with flavor profiles of baked apple, honey, and hibiscus. The finish was very crisp and lasting with a profile of baked fig and green apple. This wine can go another 10 years. Score 94
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Much like my previous bottle but perhaps even a touch better. Decanted at 4pm and drunk from 7pm through 9pm. Decanter kept in my cellar so this was initially served at cellar temp ~56F. Definitely needs the air time to breathe at this stage and it improved as it warmed a little as well. Wonderful medium to dark, bright golden yellow. No sign of its almost 10 years of age. Nose and flavor profile have minerals, crushed stone, flint, apricot, white peach, honeysuckle, lemon curd etc...High acidity, very bright but full bodied in your mouth. Matched perfectly with scallops wrapped in bacon with a drizzle of caramelized onion and balsamic sauce. I just love this wine and wish I had found out more about them years ago!
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On the nose- A bit of petrol on the nose, beeswax, honeysuckle, lemon curd, peach, apricot, broad rich minerals, great fruit purity
On the nose- Very rich and oily with a broad mouth coating texture, beeswax, honesuckle, lemon curd, peach, apricot with great minerality and fruit purity with a pretty long finish....this wine is drinking well now but will age another 8-10 years or more
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Bright medium yellow color. Very complex nose that started with a whiff of petrol that blew off, then peach, apricot, lemon, Stoney minerals and honeysuckle. Very rich oily taexure yet with lots of acidity. Flavors are just as complex and layered as the bouquet. Juicy acidity plays with the texture to make for a party in your mouth. Finish is moderately long with a touch of creme broulé. This, as expected will be very long lived and probably better down the road a few years cellared properly. It also get better with some air. My guess is this should be decanted at least an hour before serving to be at its best. Reminiscent of the best from Corton or Puligny...
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Light yellow to yellow color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of quince, yellow pears and talc. Flavors of yellow pears, lemon and nectarine. Medium acidity, medium body. Drink or hold.
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Good, balanced white. Showed some pineapple and stone fruits, with just a hint of honeyed nuts. This was well balanced and structured, but I couldn't quite decide if this will improve from aging for a few more years or will start to fade. If I had more bottles, I would drink over the next couple of years. The bottle I drank a year ago showed slightly better. Went well with sous vide pork belly with courgette pie.
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Vanilla, lime, dried pineapple, yellow apple, and floral spices with the slightest nutty hints starting to develop. Full bodied and rich on the palate, with laser acidity providing a nice foil. Probably 5 more years before its in its sweet spot, but drinking nicely now.
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Sight: Medium Lemon with hints of gold Nose: Ripe with exotc tropical notes. Wonderful and expressive. Exciting. Palate: Melon, Pineapple, Golden apple, pear. Oak and alcohol in check. No Malo, Med+ Acid. Wonderfully easy to drink and nuanced too!
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Balanced and sophisticated cali chardonnay. Ripe, rich and oaky but not overly so, round pineapple and dried citrus peel bitterness are integrated into round mature whole. Slight touch of scotch whisky. At $36, overpriced. Probably past its peak.
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A well made Chardonnay, balanced and fresh, tasting young with medium length, light vanilla, good fruit. Tastes more old world than new. Could gain complexity with a few years of aging, but is drinking perfectly well now.
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Beautifully seductive Chardonnay. One cannot honestly appraise New World Chard without first trying this old stalwart, Stony Hill. The best of New World "Burgundian" producers, always produce wines both light on their feet and deeply concentrated in fruit and flavor. Here, we have a golden-straw tinged wine redolent of lime, tart green apple, apricot, golden fig, nuts, and a touch of pineapple. Waxy or oily, as many have described, which I certainly come to expect and enjoy in many white wines. This is just as expressive on the palate, with its medium-bodied attack of pear and apple, citrus, and tropical-nutty sensations. Wonderful.
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Sharp gold; clean varietal nose; honey, vanilla, oak, stone fruit; mid-body, round, balanced, long rich finish. Some time left. Wonderful with proscuitto-wrapped talapia (Mediterranean menu).
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There's some barely-honeyed, slightly tropical fruit at first, after a half hour the acid mostly takes over, leaving a waxiness and a malic/green apple quality around a very solid core of fruit, with some slight musk developing on the nose. After 3/4 days in the fridge this opens up more, is still very fresh, and with some added spice and soil tones (though very clean). Chablis-like in a way but has a fullness to it that exemplifies what Cali wine used to be all about, while still being quite crisp and acid-driven.
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Yellow/light gold. Half an hour of air helped round it out. Minerals at the core and fruit around the edges. Slightly metallic on the finish. Nice balance. No fireworks going off, but it could improve with time.
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A good, reliable, non-buttery wine. This was clearly too early to drink though. It seemed to have a bright future ahead of it if it was stored for a few years. Should buy these and HOLD.
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Evolving Napa Valley Chardonnay 08 Stony Hill. Subtle style, not over-oaked; clean varietal nose, hints of honey, stone fruit; good balance, flavor. With finer seafood (swordfish).
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This wine has a light clear yellow color, it is meidum bodied and alcohol is at 13.0%. It is much more European/Chablis in style than California, that is for sure. When I got to taste this, it had been opened and decanted for several hours. It gave off floral, mineral citrus and vanilla aromas. The flavor profile was of mineral, citrus and vanilla schnapps. Most people do not think of white wines as wines that are meant to age for long periods of times, and even fewer think of California white wines being meant to improve with age. This clearly is a wine that needs a great deal of cellaring time, at the very soonest, maybe 2015, but I am thinking at least 10+ years before opening. This wine will easily age 25 to 30+ years with no problems and be a real stunner. 90 points if drinking now, 95+ if you have the patience to let it sit for a long time.
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1/7/2024 - BillBell73 wrote: 88 Points
Probably would never have guessed this as Chardonnay blind - it seems a bit sweet and oxidized with a lot of bruised apple and almond. Reminds me of chenin in a way. I’m hoping this was not a representative bottle.
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6/4/2023 - dino_mike Likes this wine: 94 Points
Very deep yellow and gold in color. This wine gets 100 points for texture and mouthfeel alone. It's very smooth on the tongue and goes down with full body and balance with a finish that is unending. It is more viscous than dry chardonnay normally is.
Nose of almonds, light honeycomb and baking spices.
Flavors of almond biscotti (there's that baking spice again), sweet stone fruit (but it's definitely dry) and ripe honeydew melon. Flavors I DONT GET are apple and minerals/stone (which Ive gotten in their other vintages...not a complaint, just observation)
But the best part is that the smells and flavors are in this rich and balanced mouthfeel and long, smooth finish that makes this old wine such a joy to drink.
The next day, it picked up apple flavors and a shorter finish, but still very good, so I say drink now (mid 2023) but in 2 years will certainly become sweeter and even more viscous.
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1/17/2022 - wineismylife wrote: 92 Points
WIML92
Tasted non blind.
Yellow color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of caramel, brown spice and mixed yellow fruits. Earthy flavors of yellow pears, yellow apples and kumquats. Medium acidity, medium to full bodied. Drink or hold.
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8/27/2021 - Winewhiskeyfood Likes this wine: 90 Points
Cheese rind, butter and some lees and oxidation Myer lemon full on the palate and still decent acidity…
More muted than I remember could be in a quiet period
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1/19/2021 - clutj Likes this wine: 91 Points
Great
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12/29/2020 - davidb18 Likes this wine: 93 Points
A floral, saline and light lemon nose. It is great to see a CA chardonnay of this quality that has aged well. A few years to go too. Acid has softened from a few years ago; the other elements have nicely resolved. Tastes of almonds, pears, minerals, flowers with a drop of sweetness (sort of a hint of honey/butterscotch). A long, lingering finish of almonds, citrus, and orange peel. An excellent and unique CA wine experience.
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9/13/2020 - acidqueen wrote: 89 Points
This bottle seemed excessively oxidized.
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7/12/2019 - larrybbaldwin Likes this wine: 94 Points
Gorgeous with many years of life ahead
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5/17/2019 - MicklethePickle Likes this wine: 90 Points
Time has burnished this to a dark yellow, with great legs. More than lives up to its name with mineral- and stone-laced fruit on the nose, with a hint of beeswax. Very much on the lean side in the mouth, with bracing acidity but more than sufficient fruit to provide balance. Long, crystalline fruit impression. Still has years of life ahead. Less giving than some other vintages I have had, but still pretty good. 5-12-15-8: 90/100.
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3/3/2019 - cartime Likes this wine:
Drinking great now.
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2/18/2019 - acidqueen wrote: 94 Points
Wonderful wine. Nothing like most CA Chardonnay. With 11 years from the vintage this is really developing nicely. Orange peel, white flowers, brioche, faint almond skin but lovely freshness and verve. Excellent. I find this has more in common with Jura Chardonnay than California so just expect something entirely different.
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11/10/2018 - 1961Vintage Likes this wine: 95 Points
Perhaps one of the most interesting aged California Chards. Peaches, white cherries. Lingering finish and great on the nose.
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10/7/2018 - Cluefairy Does not like this wine:
Meh
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8/24/2018 - oldwines Likes this wine: 90 Points
This was another slightly oxidized bottle but it never really opened up like some previous bottles. The color is medium dark golden yellow and the nose and palate had smokey, burnt sugar and slightly nutty elements along with grilled white peach and a honeyed finish. While enjoyable this was marred by the oxidation and never quite blossomed with the layers of fruit in previous bottles over the 3 hours we tasted it.
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7/11/2018 - Lipsman Likes this wine: 91 Points
A fine Chardonnay, medium bodied with ample fruit, in balance and harmony. Some gentle notes of aging, but in general it tastes quite fresh and youthful, if lacking complexity and intellectual engagement. Drink now through 2025, no rush.
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7/2/2018 - Rieslingfan wrote:
It had been years since my last bottle of Stony Hill anything, and this was a lovely reintroduction. I never had this vintage in its youth, so can't speak to its overall evolution, but there's no risk of downside from what I can tell. Stone fruit, as well as a pineapple essence combine with saline and light honeysuckle notes on the nose, and the fruit directly translates to the palate. There is still very fresh acidity, and only a hint of maturity on the palate.
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6/4/2018 - MattMauldin Likes this wine:
Napa Valley & Chalk Hill AVA winery visits - 5/30 & 5/31, 2018: Aromas of melted stone, white pepper, stone fruit and spices. Showing butterscotch and stone fruit on the attack, secondary minerality and spices. Rich texture and full depth throughout. Big finish. Excellent.
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5/17/2018 - oldwines Likes this wine: 94 Points
"Cult Cali" Night at Garth's Apartment in Philly (Philadelphia, PA, USA): This bottle seemed a bit different than the previous ones in that it was slightly oxidized such that it did exhibit different characteristics than before and may perhaps give a foreshadowing of the eventual aged condition of the wine some more years down the line. This was decanted and given 90 minutes to breathe in the cellar then re-bottled for taking to our "Cult Cali" night at Garth's in Philadelphia, about a 2 hour drive away. Then tasted by the group prior to and during the first course with dinner. The color is more light to medium gold than bright yellow. It has very high acidity and distinctive grilled apricot, caramel and minerals on both the nose and palate. The finish is long and honeyed suggesting a touch of residual sugar.
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5/17/2018 - skurtz Likes this wine: 93 Points
Gorgeous grilled peaches caramel. Smooth. Awesome food wine.
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3/12/2018 - 1961Vintage wrote: 94 Points
10 year old US Cali chard? Would put it right up there with some of the best white burgundies. Superb effort!
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2/25/2018 - vegasoenophile Likes this wine: 93 Points
A beautiful bottle of wine. Lemon colors moving into light gold hues. Aromas of buttermilk and chantilly cream with d'Anjou and Bartlett pears and hints of marzipan. The usual welcome streak of acidity they're known for which balances out the heavier flavors from the wine's age. It has wonderful texture and weight with flavors of apricots, pears, white peach tart, fresh cream and flecks of honey. A slate-style minerality appears on the back which helps for a cleaner finish to shore up the weightier elements. It lingers nicely. Food friendly, but also delicious and complex on its own.
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2/23/2018 - wineman73 Likes this wine: 93 Points
An awesome chardonnay! a beautiful yellow color with a pronounced nose of green fruits and candied pineapple. The taste was similar in profile with a nice finish. Score 93
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1/11/2018 - dino_mike Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very fresh and rich at 10 years old. The texture and viscosity really stand out here, you would think its a marsanne with some picpoule spice tasting it blind. Light almond and honey notes with light mineral and hibiscus on the palate but the texture and mouthfeel are quite rich and round. Excellent long finish stays meaningful after each sip. It doesn't NEED any more age but can improve over 1-2 years more then possibly longer. Quite a shower at 10 years old now.
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1/1/2018 - EducatedDrunk wrote: 90 Points
Pretty good, Chablis-like in style. Good grip and very food friendly. but ultimately lacking grip and complexity. Pretty broad, lovely mouthfeel, but I'd expect better at the price point.
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12/15/2017 - wgmccallum Likes this wine: 93 Points
Zesty aromas of lemon rind, fresh sourdough bread, turmeric. Intense clean fruit on the palate with excellent acid support and a fine grip at the back. Beautifully balanced and integrated.
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11/24/2017 - Neecies Likes this wine:
Superb! Different and better than a bottle just a few weeks ago though both came from the same source. Better fruit, more delineation, and no diesel: IOW, pristeen condition, dazzling. Much more life ahead.
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11/20/2017 - Neecies Likes this wine:
Minerally fruit with a touch of diesel indicated a wine with some age on it, but most were surprised it was an 08. Voted best in flight.
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8/26/2017 - jdwolson Likes this wine: 90 Points
This is a very food-friendly, unoaked Chardonnay. Delicious with soft acidity and a little bit of butter.
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8/10/2017 - wineman73 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Stony Hill Vineyard Tasting (Stony Hill Vineyard St Helena, CA): 2008 Stony Hill Chardonnay
No comparison against the 2014. The 2008 dominated this comparison. It is amazing what age does for this wine! The color was a beautiful gold color with aromas of green apples, honey, and tropical fruits. The profile on the palate was just awesome. Nice weight and acidity with flavor profiles of baked apple, honey, and hibiscus. The finish was very crisp and lasting with a profile of baked fig and green apple. This wine can go another 10 years. Score 94
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6/10/2017 - oldwines Likes this wine: 95 Points
Much like my previous bottle but perhaps even a touch better. Decanted at 4pm and drunk from 7pm through 9pm. Decanter kept in my cellar so this was initially served at cellar temp ~56F. Definitely needs the air time to breathe at this stage and it improved as it warmed a little as well. Wonderful medium to dark, bright golden yellow. No sign of its almost 10 years of age. Nose and flavor profile have minerals, crushed stone, flint, apricot, white peach, honeysuckle, lemon curd etc...High acidity, very bright but full bodied in your mouth. Matched perfectly with scallops wrapped in bacon with a drizzle of caramelized onion and balsamic sauce. I just love this wine and wish I had found out more about them years ago!
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5/26/2017 - WineGeek1989 Likes this wine: 94 Points
On the nose- A bit of petrol on the nose, beeswax, honeysuckle, lemon curd, peach, apricot, broad rich minerals, great fruit purity
On the nose- Very rich and oily with a broad mouth coating texture, beeswax, honesuckle, lemon curd, peach, apricot with great minerality and fruit purity with a pretty long finish....this wine is drinking well now but will age another 8-10 years or more
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4/22/2017 - oldwines Likes this wine: 94 Points
Bright medium yellow color. Very complex nose that started with a whiff of petrol that blew off, then peach, apricot, lemon, Stoney minerals and honeysuckle. Very rich oily taexure yet with lots of acidity. Flavors are just as complex and layered as the bouquet. Juicy acidity plays with the texture to make for a party in your mouth. Finish is moderately long with a touch of creme broulé. This, as expected will be very long lived and probably better down the road a few years cellared properly. It also get better with some air. My guess is this should be decanted at least an hour before serving to be at its best. Reminiscent of the best from Corton or Puligny...
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7/4/2016 - BadOyster wrote: 90 Points
A nice example of Chablissienne chardonnay. Can't complain about it, but didn't quite feel like it had the length and subtlety worth the price.
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4/27/2016 - wineismylife wrote: 91 Points
WIML91
Tasted non blind.
Light yellow to yellow color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of quince, yellow pears and talc. Flavors of yellow pears, lemon and nectarine. Medium acidity, medium body. Drink or hold.
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3/15/2016 - BilboBaggins wrote: 91 Points
Good, balanced white. Showed some pineapple and stone fruits, with just a hint of honeyed nuts. This was well balanced and structured, but I couldn't quite decide if this will improve from aging for a few more years or will start to fade. If I had more bottles, I would drink over the next couple of years. The bottle I drank a year ago showed slightly better.
Went well with sous vide pork belly with courgette pie.
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10/11/2015 - cartime Likes this wine: 92 Points
Vanilla, lime, dried pineapple, yellow apple, and floral spices with the slightest nutty hints starting to develop. Full bodied and rich on the palate, with laser acidity providing a nice foil. Probably 5 more years before its in its sweet spot, but drinking nicely now.
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3/24/2015 - Nanda wrote: 91 Points
Classically styled - all about the structure with precise laser focused fruit in the background. Still quite young.
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2/9/2015 - agnorger Likes this wine: 91 Points
Time to drink is now. it is starting to fade away. really good though.
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2/8/2015 - rhit wrote:
Showed nice restraint, but didn't excite.
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1/27/2015 - THECORKDORK Likes this wine: 94 Points
Legendary! Can't wait to watch it age.
Sight: Medium Lemon with hints of gold
Nose: Ripe with exotc tropical notes. Wonderful and expressive. Exciting.
Palate: Melon, Pineapple, Golden apple, pear. Oak and alcohol in check. No Malo, Med+ Acid. Wonderfully easy to drink and nuanced too!
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1/19/2015 - mks83 wrote: 87 Points
Balanced and sophisticated cali chardonnay. Ripe, rich and oaky but not overly so, round pineapple and dried citrus peel bitterness are integrated into round mature whole. Slight touch of scotch whisky. At $36, overpriced. Probably past its peak.
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11/5/2014 - Lipsman Likes this wine: 90 Points
A well made Chardonnay, balanced and fresh, tasting young with medium length, light vanilla, good fruit. Tastes more old world than new. Could gain complexity with a few years of aging, but is drinking perfectly well now.
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8/4/2014 - Neecies Likes this wine: 93 Points
Stunning. As Coop said, "If you told me this was white burgundy I'd totally believe you."
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2/15/2014 - cubswinws Likes this wine: 90 Points
Nice clean and crisp chardonnay with nice acidity and a bit of minerality.
Very enjoyable.
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1/9/2014 - fournet wrote: 93 Points
Steely nose. Apples. Nice finish.
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12/29/2013 - PVTerroir wrote: 94 Points
Beautifully seductive Chardonnay. One cannot honestly appraise New World Chard without first trying this old stalwart, Stony Hill. The best of New World "Burgundian" producers, always produce wines both light on their feet and deeply concentrated in fruit and flavor. Here, we have a golden-straw tinged wine redolent of lime, tart green apple, apricot, golden fig, nuts, and a touch of pineapple. Waxy or oily, as many have described, which I certainly come to expect and enjoy in many white wines. This is just as expressive on the palate, with its medium-bodied attack of pear and apple, citrus, and tropical-nutty sensations. Wonderful.
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6/1/2013 - sdwineguru Likes this wine: 91 Points
Sharp gold; clean varietal nose; honey, vanilla, oak, stone fruit; mid-body, round, balanced, long rich finish. Some time left. Wonderful with proscuitto-wrapped talapia (Mediterranean menu).
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5/18/2013 - yofog wrote: 93 Points
There's some barely-honeyed, slightly tropical fruit at first, after a half hour the acid mostly takes over, leaving a waxiness and a malic/green apple quality around a very solid core of fruit, with some slight musk developing on the nose. After 3/4 days in the fridge this opens up more, is still very fresh, and with some added spice and soil tones (though very clean). Chablis-like in a way but has a fullness to it that exemplifies what Cali wine used to be all about, while still being quite crisp and acid-driven.
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5/5/2013 - ATK22 wrote: 89 Points
Yellow/light gold. Half an hour of air helped round it out. Minerals at the core and fruit around the edges. Slightly metallic on the finish. Nice balance. No fireworks going off, but it could improve with time.
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3/28/2013 - sdwineguru Likes this wine: 90 Points
Mid-green gold; weedy Chardonnay nose; light oak; honey; balanced; round, semi-viscous; good fruity finish.
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2/26/2013 - dkremer wrote: 92 Points
drinking beautifully
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11/4/2012 - sdwineguru Likes this wine: 91 Points
Perfect match with swordfish again. Honey, Chardonnay, oak nose; viscous, round, ripe, good flavor and finish.
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10/21/2012 - sdwineguru Likes this wine: 90 Points
Sharp dark gold; light oak, honey, varietal nose; mid-body; round, soft finish, hints of oak. Consistent Stony Hill style, flavor. w/scampi
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12/20/2011 - BMCKIE99 wrote: 85 Points
A good, reliable, non-buttery wine. This was clearly too early to drink though. It seemed to have a bright future ahead of it if it was stored for a few years. Should buy these and HOLD.
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8/28/2011 - sdwineguru Likes this wine: 90 Points
Evolving Napa Valley Chardonnay 08 Stony Hill. Subtle style, not over-oaked; clean varietal nose, hints of honey, stone fruit; good balance, flavor. With finer seafood (swordfish).
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1/15/2011 - MB Ben wrote: 92 Points
An absolutely delicious bottle of wine now, but more surely to come with additional age. Just had to open one now.
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10/16/2010 - Renegade wrote: 95 Points
This wine has a light clear yellow color, it is meidum bodied and alcohol is at 13.0%. It is much more European/Chablis in style than California, that is for sure. When I got to taste this, it had been opened and decanted for several hours. It gave off floral, mineral citrus and vanilla aromas. The flavor profile was of mineral, citrus and vanilla schnapps. Most people do not think of white wines as wines that are meant to age for long periods of times, and even fewer think of California white wines being meant to improve with age. This clearly is a wine that needs a great deal of cellaring time, at the very soonest, maybe 2015, but I am thinking at least 10+ years before opening. This wine will easily age 25 to 30+ years with no problems and be a real stunner. 90 points if drinking now, 95+ if you have the patience to let it sit for a long time.
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