2015 Calera Chardonnay Bien Nacido Vineyard

Community Tasting Notes (6) Median Score: 90 points

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  10/27/2020 - KVM wrote:

  Deep yellow. Nose is ripe, nutty, pear jam, oak spice. Large scaled, concentrated, a little heat but no bitterness. Baked pear, butterscotch and lemon rind flavours. Very long, plush. Acid is just enough.

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  4/16/2020 - lpettet Does not like this wine: 74 Points

  Must have had a bad bottle. Have one left. Let’s see how good that one goes...

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  2/15/2020 - pdadams66 Likes this wine: 90 Points

  Light gold yellow, light yellow to pale rim.
  Vibrant nose of slightly stewed pineapple, citrus, waxy, touch of yeast, has some tropical notes.
  Smooth, pineapple, cooked bananas, lime leaves, good acidity, well integrated oak, lanolin on the finish with roast cashews. Great length.
  Excellent Chardonnay, drinking well now but will last a couple more years no problem. Was better warm than cold.

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  12/22/2019 - sfwinelover1 Likes this wine: 91 Points

  Recent one-off discounted ($19.99) from the big box wine store; I've bought and enjoyed Calera wines with some frequency in the past but have likely not had one for at least a decade. Opened about a half hour before drinking, it seemed to benefit from a bit of air. Surprisingly robust nose with sweet pears, apples, oak and just a hint of Meyer Lemon and almonds. Consistent notes on the palate with surprisingly bracing acidity. Medium gold colored, medium bodied, light to medium legs. Moderate to long persistence, no heat. What puts this wine a step above most of the chards in its price range I've had in the past year is the interaction of the vibrant fruit with the powerful acidity; it gives this wine a complexity and depth really uncommon at this price point. Worked well with crab macaroni and cheese but the sweet fruit made it at least as good as a standalone drinker. The oak is a bit more apparent than I'd prefer. The acidity should assure this wine's durability for at least a few more years, with even possible improvement, and it's possible that during that time, the oak will integrate a bit better, which could get my rating up a point or two. Still, really nice work. 91-92

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  10/14/2019 - psusfca Likes this wine: 92 Points

  Very well done. Definitely in a richer Cali style. Not Burgundian but also not a butter and oak bomb we used to get from California Chardonnay. Similar to the great wines we are getting from places like Gary Farrell. And a steal at $20 per bottle. At original price of $36 would still be worth it. I might stock up on this for weeknight chard. Balanced, nutty, rich. I’m a fan of Calera wines in general. And this adds to my fandom

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