News From Napa And Beyond
Posts tagged Chardonnay
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Nov 23rd
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
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Mar 5th
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
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Feb 12th
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
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Feb 5th
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
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Oct 16th
L’Angevin Chardonnay Charles Heintz 2006
INSIDER SCOOP: This wine is called “Angel’s Wine” (French) and we couldn’t agree more! We sampled for the first time at an ‘insider’ event last year and have been obsessed with this nectar ever since.
THE WINE INSDIERS “OUTSTANDING 95″ POINTS: “This profound wine exhibits superb opulence, full-bodied power, and stunning richness, definition, and intensity. Starting with aromas of orange marmalade, lemon oil, tropical fruit, crushed rocks, hazelnut, and subtle wood. The rich, ripe flavors include dried apricot, citrus oil and orange zest, as well as a gravelly minerality. This new release is still tightly woven (as of writing May 2007) but should blossom further over the next 3 – 5 years, peaking around 2011 in our best estimate! 95 points”
This wine is currently available for $55 (click here)
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Sep 18th
Leeuwin Chardonnay Art Series 2005
One of the Top 5 rarest and most collectible Chardonnays in the world since Wine Spectator rated last three vintages an unprecedented 94 – 98 points and “best white wine in Australia” ..Only 100 cases were imported and we have less than 10 case to sell so ‘do the math’ and order now!
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Sep 3rd
One of our very favorite annual events is Hal and Fiona Barnett’s harvest party at their spectacular home and boutique winery at the pinnacle of Spring Mountain in Napa. For an “insiders” peak at this party and the opportunity to meet Barnett winemaker David Tate click here to view our video blog. One highlight this year was sampling the new release of Barnettt’s “Sangiacomo” Vineyard Chardonnay! In 2007, Wine Spectator magazine awarded the Barnett Chardonnay ‘Sangiacomo’ an “Outstanding 93” point rating, putting this wine in the same company as collector favorites such as Peter Michael and Kistler that cost more than triple the price. We’ve been recommending Barnett Chardonnay for many years as the “boutique” version of Rombauer Chardonnay because both are sourced from the exact same “Sangiacomo” vineyard but Barnett’s production is less than 1/10 the production of their more famous Napa counterparts. Below, see full tasting notes from Barnett’s winemaker David Tate, former assistant winemaker at Ridge vineyards whose 2005 Chardonnay was ranked #3 in the World by Wine Spectator magazine.