Country: | United States |
Regions: | California California (Central Coast) |
Winery: | Kynsi Vineyards |
Grape Type: | Chardonnay |
Vintage: | 2019 |
Bottle Size: | 750 ml |
Evening Land Seven Springs Vineyard Summum Chardonnay is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
Summum Chardonnay is the unofficial tête de cuvée of our lineup at Evening Land Vineyards. Fruit for Summum comes from just 14 vine rows that form the backbone of the Seven Springs Estate. Here, soils were formed by ancient volcanic eruptions that sent blazing lava down the current vineyard’s slopes – and today, we’re lucky enough to farm our vines in these mineral-laden soils. The 2019 Summum Chardonnay is medium-bodied and bright, marked by flavors of lemon skin, baked apple, and a touch of sweet spice that leads to a satiny, harmonious finish. For a unique taste of Oregon’s rather untapped potential for high-end Chardonnay, this bottle is it.
Review:
Shows dimension and presence, with elegantly multilayered flavors of Meyer lemon, apple skin, yeasty lees and crushed stone that gather richness and steely opulence on the lingering finish. Drink now
-Wine Spectator 95 Points
MacRostie Wildcat Mountain Vineyard Chardonnay Sonoma Coast is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
Wildcat Mountain Vineyard Chardonnay always delivers something special and unique, and this vintage is no exception. Both intricate and exotic, this wine begins with alluring fruit aromas of Meyer lemon and fresh pineapple. On the palate, a round, rich mouthfeel accentuates Wildcat’s signature high-tone notes of honey and spice. At the same time, thanks to Wildcat’s windy growing conditions, which thicken the grape skins, it has engaging structure and body.
Review:
The 2019 Chardonnay Wildcat Mountain showed nicely, with a reductive, mineral-laced, medium-bodied style as well as pretty citrus and stone fruits, lots of white flowers, and subtle spice and nuttiness, integrated acidity, and light background oak. It's well worth following over the coming 4-6 years.
-Jeb Dunnuck 91 Points
Rich and well-structured, with honeyed accents to the apple and pear tart flavors. Toasty and light buttery accents linger on the spicy finish. Drink now through 2024. 809 cases made.
-Wine Spectator 91 Points
Sojourn Chardonnay Sangiacomo Vineyard is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
The core of Sojourn Sangiacomo Vineyard Chardonnay is from the same vineyard source as the highly-acclaimed Sojourn Sangiacomo Vineyard Pinot noir wines. This wine features a combination of Clone 95 Chardonnay from Sangiacomo Roberts Road Vineyard and Old Wente Clone from Sangiacomo Vella Ranch. The Roberts Road block, planted in 1998, provides minerality and vibrancy. The Old Wente Clone selection is known to produce distinctively small clusters, low yields, and results in elegant, complex wines that round out this blend. These ranches are perfectly suited for growing Chardonnay, with cool climates and well-draining soils.
Sojour Chardonnay is fresh and lively, fruit-forward with bright acidity, stone fruit, citrus and apple flavors that leave your mouth watering.
All older vintage wines have been purchased from a single collectors cellar. Pictures can be requested before shipment.
Argot Simpatico Ranch Chardonnay is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
Powerful aromas of key-lime, white flowers, orange blossoms and a fierce, flinty, sauvage note define a wildly complex nose. Once in the mouth, gracefully pronounced textures coat the palate delivering an exotic interpretation of cool-climate Chardonnay character — lime peel, orange blossom, ginger and clove —lingerings deep into a vibrant finish.
Planted 1978. Shallow volcanic soils on the gently-sloped, south-facing foothills of Bennett Peak on Bennett Valley’s floor. One of California’s coolest Chardonnay vineyards. In the final year of 3-year draught cycle, Simpatico Ranch saw its earliest ever harvest and smallest crop, exposing a reserve of exoticism and minerality previously untapped. A watershed vintage for both the vineyard, and appellation. Night harvested by hand on 9/16, whole-cluster pressed direct to barrel; no settling to ensure maximum lees contact. Barrel fermented on heavy lees. Malolactic fermentation. 16 months in French oak, 50% new. Finished 2 months in steel tank, low Sulphur during barrel elevage.
Review:
There are 225 cases of the 2019 Chardonnay Simpatico Ranch, which is from a cooler, higher elevation site in Sonoma. Lots of peach, tangerine, honeyed minerality, and toasted hazelnuts all emerge from the glass, and while I don't think it matches the 2018, it's a brilliant Chardonnay offering medium to full-bodied richness, nicely integrated acidity, and a great finish. It's beautifully balanced and is going to keep for at least 5-7 years."
- Jeb Dunnuck (September 2021), 94 pts
Hartford Court Three Jacks Chardonnay is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
The Three Jacks Vineyard Chardonnay exhibits aromas of lemon curd, orange marmalade, and brioche, with juicy flavors of pear, candied citrus peel, chamomile, and a rich, mineral-driven texture. The wine is full-bodied, weighty, and rich yet remarkably agile on its feet because of firm underlying acidity.
The 2019 Chardonnay Three Jacks Vineyard, from vines planted in 1995, was barrel fermented and matured in 31% new French oak for 14 months. It's one of the best iterations I've tasted, combining expansive flavor and texture with precise, laser-like acidity. It offers delicate, pure scents of apricot, dried tarragon, white pepper and citrus blossoms with a stony undercurrent. The medium-bodied palate has dynamic energy from its oily texture and shimmery acidity, and it finishes with tense, mineral-driven flavors. It has much more to give as it unfurls in bottle and will be long lived in the cellar.
- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate 95 Points
Kynsi Chardonnay Bien Nacido Vineyard is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
A complex nose of white nectarine, marzipan, citrus peel and pineapple upside down cake with a full palate, offering nuanced flavors of Asian pear, lemon curd and Calimyrna fig.
The Bien Nacido Vineyard is located in the Santa Maria Valley on the South Central Coast of California, just east of Santa Maria. The topography of the valley features transverse ranges with an east/west orientation, opening up to the Pacific Ocean. The climate is strongly influenced by the ocean providing ideal temperate growing conditions for Chardonnay. Early spring warming, mild summer temperatures and late arriving cold fall temperatures provide a long growing season for the development of rich color along with concentrated and complex flavors.
Kynsi Winery is a family run operation focused on producing distinguished wines in limited production. Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, Syrah and unique red blends are carefully sourced from highly regarded cool climate vineyards along with Pinot Noir from their Estate Stone Corral Vineyard in the Edna Valley.
Owner/Winemakers Don and Gwen Othman have been immersed in the Central Coast wine industry for over 30 years with their specialty wine equipment business Bulldog Manufacturing. Don is widely recognized for his creation of The Bulldog Pup in 1986, a gas pressure racking wand that transfers wine from barrels without agitation or oxidation. While originally designed to gently transfer delicate Pinot Noir, “The Pup” has become an indispensable cellar tool for achieving superior clean rackings preserving richness and complexity in high quality barrel aged wines. They continue to manufacture and distribute the Bulldog Pup worldwide today.
Over the years, Bulldog Manufacturing provided the opportunity to work alongside some of the most respected winemakers in the industry. Don and Gwen gleaned volumes of diverse winemaking philosophies that helped lay the foundation from which their own distinctive winemaking philosophy emerged. Life is an evolution and in 1995 Don and Gwen founded Kynsi Winery located in the heart of the Edna Valley on California’s Central Coast. Today they are joined by their daughter Kala who grew up in the business and son-in-law Michael, each sharing the vision and values on which Kynsi has been built. Together, they all work very closely to maintain the quality and consistency of the Kynsi portfolio.
Their Story:
When the winery was first started in the old dairy, it had been decades since it had ceased operations and the grounds had been cared for. There was a gopher problem, and not your average garden infestation but a plague of historic proportions. In search of wisdom, it was discovered that barn owls are gopher’s #1 predator. Astonishingly, a nesting pair can process up to 40 gophers a night when feeding their young.
Barn owls are not nest builders, so 2 wooden boxes were installed in the old barn and within a couple of weeks there was a nesting pair. They had 4 owlets that first spring and wiped out the also breeding gophers. As the pellet pile grew under their boxes, nature was being put back into balance. The owls single handedly saved the ranch and the wise female in her preening pose was chosen to represent the brand, a pedestal duly earned. To honor family heritage, they chose the Finnish word “Kynsi” meaning talon to go with the beloved barn owl.
Mordoree Chateauneuf-du-Pape La Reine des Bois is made from 80% Grenache, 10% Mourvèdre, and the rest equal parts Syrah and Vaccarèse .
This premium cuvee - whose name means "Queen of the Woods" - is from 65-year-old vines, planted on Villafranchian-era terrasses. Yield is 30 hl/ha.
Deep ruby red; opaque. Aromas of red fruits change to wooden touches of leather, black truffles and coffee. Fat, concentrated and full flavored with a very long liquoriced and fruity finish.
Review:
"The 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape La Reine Des Bois is a bigger, richer, more structured wine, which is normal. A blend of 80% Grenache, 10% Mourvedre, and the rest equal parts Syrah and Vaccarese, its deeper ruby/purple hue is followed by a brilliant perfume of blackberries, black raspberries, ground pepper, violets, and new saddle leather. Medium to full-bodied and concentrated, with building tannins and great overall balance, it's another wine that shows the style of the vintage brilliantly. It has plenty of up-front charm, but this beauty will evolve nicely for 15-20 years."
- Jeb Dunnuck (November 2022), 96 pts
Belle Glos Balade Pinot Noir is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.
Dark violet in color with aromas of dark fruit and toasted brioche with a hint of baking spice. Bold and sophisticated on the palate with blackberry, boysenberry, French toast, black pepper, and a trace of cinnamon. This wine is beguiled with complexity and a light refreshing approach, yet not overly bold on the palate.