White

Lucien et Andre Brunel Chateauneuf-du-Pape Les Cailloux Blanc is made from 70% Roussanne, 20% Grenache Blanc, 10% Clairette.

This historic estate was established in the 17th century when André Brunel’s family purchased a vineyard plot from the Bishop of Avignon. André took over the reins of this estate in 1971, and later his son Fabrice joined the winemaking team in 2012, keeping the family legacy alive by pursuing quality with the highest regard and respect for the environment.

Châteauneuf-du-Pape is notorious for its large, round pebbles that absorb the sun’s energy, radiating warmth throughout the night, allowing the grapes to achieve ideal ripeness and incredible complexity. “Les Cailloux” gets its name from the pebbles.

Review:

Inviting aromas of grapefruit and lime zest, Meyer lemon and honeydew harmonize with wild white flowers and stone on the nose. The palate is refreshed by brisk acidity, making way for a wave of fresh pears lemon zest, subtly framed by a layer of stone and light oak spice.

-Wine Enthusiast 96 Points

Rudi Pichler Kollmutz Smaragd Gruner Veltliner is made from 100 percent Gruner Veltliner. 

Rudi Pichler is among the elite growers of the Wachau producing wines of precision, power, and longevity. Grüner Veltliner and Riesling make up 95% of the production with the remaining 5% shared between Weißburgunder and Roter Veltliner. Rudi Pichler belongs to the prestigious Vinea Wachau and vinifies under the strict parameters of their codex.

Yields are kept low between 30 and 35 hectoliters per hectare with botrytis carefully removed by hand.  Grapes are crushed by foot and receive between three and 36 hours of maceration on the skins. Vinification is entirely in stainless-steel tanks and malolactic fermentation is avoided.

Kollmütz is a terraced vineyard in Wösendorf sitting between 200 and 400 meters of elevation. The soils of Kollmütz developed from an ancient landslide resulting in chaotic layers of rock and boulders. The vineyard is particularly rich in magnesium and iron. Wines from Kollmütz are typically linear, dense, and intensely mineral in character.

Grüner Veltliner is the signature grape of Austria and produces a dry white wine with savory aromas, spicy flavors, and good acidity. Grüner Veltliner Smaragd from the Wachau is a full-bodied wine and is rich in style with notes of stone fruit, lemon, radish, and arugula.

Review:

I have heard gruner veltliner dismissed for supposedly not being elegant, but this is an extremely elegant example! Very complex nose of snow peas, green beans, wild herbs and green pepper. On the medium-bodied palate, this remarkable gruner veltliner has a discreet succulence, but what makes it amazing is the way it glides so gracefully over the palate, then splash lands in a deep pool of wet stone minerality. Underplayed power and concentration!

-James Suckling 97 Points

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

Domaine Louis Moreau Chablis Vaillons Premier Cru is made from 100 percent Chardonnay. 

Chablis achieves its highly distinctive mineral character due to its cool northerly climate and its highly calcareous soil. The Domaine Louis Moreau Chablis Vaillons Premier Cru is a generous, fleshy and lively wine that displays a beautiful balance of minerality, fruitiness and elegance.

Chablis, with its steely character and fresh citrus flavor, pairs well with white fish and shellfish and its naturally high acidity can counterbalance cream-based sauces. Unoaked Chablis lends itself well to vegetables, starches, Comté, or fresh goat cheese.

Ancien Chardonnay Coombsville Haynes Old Block is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.

Inspired by the classic and most revered Chardonnay vineyard in the world, Le Montrachet, Ancien winery utilizes the same classic techniques. It is fermented in tight-grained French Oak cask after a gentle squeeze as whole clusters. The wine is not moved through the fermentation and aging period, only pushed by inert gas in gentle fashion into the bottling tank. In vintages where the wine achieves good clarity through natural settling, the wine is not filtered – otherwise it undergoes a light polish to help reveal is core of fruit.

The effusive nose welcomes with layers of lemon meringue, ripe apple, citrus zest, honey and grape blossom. The palate is vibrant and fresh, and the richly textured mouth-feel is expansive. Baked apple tart and stone fruit emerge as this opulent wine reaches the depths of your palate, with further notes brioche. The finish is a focused amalgamation of minerality and ripe fruit. Give this cellar worthy Chardonnay time to open up and it will reveal increasingly lush and creamy layers as it evolves over minutes in the glass and the years in the bottle.

J. Christopher Appassionata Chardonnay is made from 100 percent Chardonnay. 

Appassionata Chardonnay is the expressive summit of this classic Burgundian variety in the Willamette Valley. Fermented and matured in large (500-liter) oak casks, it rests on the full lees for two years before bottling. It then rests in our cellar for another year before its release, three years after vintage. The wine’s elegant texture, fine structure and extended maturation time ensure a long life for this vibrant Chardonnay.

Whole-cluster pressing; native yeast fermentation in 500-liter French oak barrels; natural malolactic fermentation; 21 months maturation on the lees.

Review:

Anyone questioning Chardonnay’s potential in the Willamette Valley should try this rich and sophisticated wine. A silky texture, is met with mouthfilling flavors of orange sorbet, pineapple and challah bread, as well as a hint of mint. The aromas of lemon curd and petrichor are equally delightful.

- Wine Enthusiast 94 Points

Bavencoff Meursault Blanc is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.

Clear golden and green robe. Meursault shows a green golden color, leaning towards bronze as it ages. Limpid and brilliant, it exhibits silver highlights. The young wine is redolent of toasted almonds and hazelnuts in a floral and mineral (flint) setting. Butter, honey, and citrus fruits are also present. On the palate it is rich and ample with a nice balance between freshness and smooth nutty flavors. .

Aged in French oak barrels (50% new).

Noble and fine-textured fish or meat, blue cheeses and foie gras.

Boussey Meursault Les Meurgers is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.

The grapes for Meursault Les Meurgers are coming from the parcel located on the route to Auxey Duresses, in a horseshoe shape ravine. The grapes always reach ripeness quite early in the season. The name of this village comes from the efforts undertaken by man to plant vines in extremely stony soils. Stones that were thrown formed piles, that are called "murger".

Rich and luxurious wine, well balanced and structured in the mouth. Beautiful golden yellow in color with green highlights. It boasts aromas of toasted nuts, ripe fruit and a very delicate oak aroma. On the palate it is dry and mellow with a lingering smooth finish.

Pair with foie gras, lobster, seafood, poultry and fruit tart.

Dutton-Goldfield Rued Vineyard Chardonnay is made from 100 percent Chardonnay. 

The nose leads with tangerine, apricot, and kiwi fruit, accented by lemon oil, orange blossom, and hazelnut. In the mouth, the fruit/floral and bright/rich theme continues, with the lychee and Meyer lemon top notes joined by Asian pear and Gravenstein apple, framed with honeysuckle and gardenia.

The dual nature of the wine makes it pair well with both rich and light fare, like lobster roll, roasted pork, or sautéed sole.

Review:

From a clone once called the Chardonnay Musque selection, this wine is highly aromatic and fresh. Juicy tropical fruit and tangerine flavors remain crisp and brilliant, leading to a complex midpalate of Meyer lemon and pear. The finish is topped by lasting, lingering layers of hazelnut.

- Wine Enthusiast 94 Points

 Hartford Court Sevens Bench Vineyard Chardonnay is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.

True to its Carneros roots, the 2018 Sevens Bench Chardonnay carries the hallmark of the region – fruit intensity balanced by and good acidity. The aromas are driven by classic lemon drop, Meyer lemon, and lemongrass. That fruit style follows in the flavors, with the citrus focus carrying through with candied lemon drop balanced by the mineral and flint characters inherent to the region and the clonal selections. Barrel fermentation notes in the background add even more complexity to this elegant wine.

Review:

I always seem to find a tropical slant in Chardonnay from Carneros, and the 2018 Chardonnay Sevens Bench Vineyard has it in spades, with ample pineapple, honeyed peach, pear, and toasted spice-like aromas and flavors. This is another balanced, rich, medium to full-bodied Chardonnay from this estate that's loaded with character. Drink it over the coming 5-7 years

-Jeb Dunnuck 95 Points

2018 Hartford Family Winery Hartford Court Sevens Bench Vineyard Chardonnay is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.

True to its Carneros roots, the 2021 Sevens Bench Chardonnay carries the hallmark of the region – fruit intensity balanced by good acidity. The aromas are driven by classic lemon drop, Meyer lemon, and lemongrass. That fruit style follows in the flavors, with the citrus focus carrying through with candied lemon drop balanced by the mineral and flint characteristics inherent to the region and the clonal selections. Barrel fermentation notes in the background add even more complexity to this elegant wine.

Review:

 "A more opulent style with a richer golden hue, the 2021 Chardonnay Sevens Bench Vineyard takes on more tropical ripe fruits in its notes of golden pineapple, baking spice, and orange zest. Full-bodied, with a rich yet clean, viscous texture, ripe peach, honeysuckle, and citrus oil, it's long on the palate and has nice balance. Drink it now or over the next 6-8 years. —Audrey Frick, jebdunnuck.com, July 2023 94 Points