Sans Permis Chardonnay Durell Vineyard 2005 – 93 Points

A wonderful yellow-gold color and a nutty, toasty nose greet you. In the mouth, Meyer lemon, crisp green apple, with butter notes and good acidity with a surprisingly rich creamy mouthfeel make this a fantastic wine to pair with a wide variety of foods.

Buy this wine at Porthos.

Viña Cobos ‘Bramare’ Chardonnay Marchiori Vineyard 2007 – 95 Points

Gorgeous notes of tropical fruits, vanilla, white peach, and mineral on the nose. Plush on the palate, it has superior depth, layered flavors, and outstanding length with grilled hazelnut and brioche notes weaving through the plump apple, pear and fig flavors. Long and juicy with orange marmalade on the finish. 95 POINTS The Wine Insiders

Oakville Ranch Chardonnay Napa 2007 – 94 points

Oakville Ranch Chardonnay

Our favorite new BIG (tasting) Chardonnay discovery under $35: rich golden color and intoxicating aromas of confection (smells like frosted Wedding Cake actually!) honeysuckle and orange marmalade lead into this elegant thriller to be enjoyed now or anytime over the next 3 years. It displays complex flavors that including macademia nuts, caramel, and tropical fruits melded together in a luxuriously texture for an delightful Chardonnay experience. 94+ points

BUY: Oakville Ranch Chardonnay Napa 2007

A Wine-Tasting Birthday Celebration.

Calliope Muscat

Recently, a serious wine collector friend of TheWineInsiders asked us to attend his wife’s birthday celebration and bring the finest current wines we could access. This included a combination of extremely rare wines as well as a few undiscovered gems (see full list is below). Each wine was paired with a particular course of the meal to enhance the flavors. We enjoyed the 2001 Patz & Hall Chardonnay “Dutton Ranch” with lobster bisque. We savored every drip of the 2005 Chateau Guiraud Sauternes with fois gras, and then we paused to sample the various Syrah. Later, we sampled the Cabernets and Cabernet blends with an exquisite lamb course. The climax of the evening was the chocolate dessert and the 99 point rated Australian late harvest Muscat (which I would describe as a combination of d’Yquem and molasses).

Two important guidelines:

1. It’s very important to open each bottle earlier in the day to let them breathe – particularly if you’re pouring young (less than 10 years old) Cabernets with powerful tannins. The benefits of doing this:

• You get to sample a tiny bit of each wine early in the day (with a clean palate) and establish an opinion without any food or distractions.
• The wines will most likely improve as flavors develop several hours later when you enjoy them with the food. 

Notable winners below were the Hestan Cabernet and the Two Hands “Aphrodite” which were both enjoyable when we first uncorked them (around 2 p.m.) but were noticeably richer and more flamboyant approximately 6 hours later when we poured them to enjoy dinner. I personally rated each wine 2 – 3 points higher after decanting.

2) It’s great to have a few leftovers at the end of the evening. This particularly applies to the red wines so that you can enjoy a sip or two the next day (hangover permitting) on a relatively clean palate. Most big, young Cabernet blends and Syrah can normally stand to be open at least one day before the quality of the experience deteriorates.

The Full Birthday Celebration Tasting:

• 2001 Patz & Hall Chardonnay “Dutton Ranch”, Sonoma
  In a Rare Jerobaom Bottle
• 2005 Chateau Guiraud Sauternes, France
  Wine Spectator #4 “Wine of the Year” 2008
• 2004 Elderton “Command” Shiraz, Australia
  Robert Parker “Classic 98″ Rating
• 2006 Long Shadows “Sequel” Syrah, Washington
  Original “Grange” Shiraz Winemaker
• 2005 Spencer Rolloson “La Herradura” Syrah, Napa
  Wine Spectator “Outstanding 93″ Rating
• 2005 Meyer Estate Cabernet, Napa
  Brand New Release!
• 2006 Tor Family “To-Kalon” Cabernet, Napa
  French Laundry Restaurant “House” Favorite + 96 points RP!
• 2005 Hestan Estate Reserve Cabernet, Napa
  TheWineInsiders “Classic 97″ Rating
• 2005 Vina Cobos Malbec “Marchiori”, Argentina
  Robert Parker “Classic 98″ Rating
• 2005 Two Hands Aphrodite Cabernet, Australia
  Robert Parker “Classic 98″ Rating
• R L Buller Calliope Muscat Rutherglen, Australia
  Robert Parker “Classic 99″ Points

Frank Family Chardonnay Napa 2007 – 94 Points

Frank Family Chardonnay

The 2007 Napa Valley Chardonnay is multifaceted and vibrant; it opens with aromas of Kaffir lime leaves, yellow plum, juicy peaches, and dried pear. These bright aromas are countered by vanilla bean Crème brûlée, lemon curd and cinnamon baked apple. The palate is lively, smooth, and layered; bursting with pineapple, Bosc pear, and Russet apples, moving into spiced cake, and buttery pie crust, while being accented by a subtle hint of Thai ginger. 94 Points.

BUY: Frank Family Chardonnay Napa Valley 2007